Inevitable
by HattyHouse
Summary: HouseCameron. They need eachother, and circumstances with a little Wilson intervention just might bring them together. Are they really the inevitable couple?
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, so this isn't my first ever fanfic but it is the first I've ever posted. It's naturally a House/Cam fiction and I'm going for the subtle approach, with some Wilson/Cuddy. Hope you like it. No flames please, but constructive criticism is fine. Please, PLEASE review as I'd love to hear your thoughts.**

**This first chapter is pretty much an introductory one to the main ideas. It's perhaps OOC; tell me if you think so. **

**This is dedicated to my friends in the House fandom: Coco (because you are too cool for me to even write about. And you love Captain Jack.), Kayla (because you make me feel a little less insane and obsessive by being equally so), JC (because you make me feel immature for my age. Lol, no because you are generally just fab) and Sema, aka Limpy (because you are great to talk to on msn and are another fanfic fan.)**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter one- Companionship

It was an ordinary week at Princeton Plainsboro. Since the shooting, House had gone back to his normal self. He was not the kind of man to be 'reborn' even after a near death experience. Everything was the same and that was the way House liked it. Wilson had flirted with the new oncology nurse; House had mocked him for it. Cuddy had worn a wonderful designer shirt, and House had decided to openly admire her "assets". Foreman had disagreed with House over their latest patient, and House had shouted. Chase had done his job, and looked attractive; House had made a comment about his hair. And then there was Cameron, who had been quiet and done her job, and House had snarked about anything and everything from her appearance to general demeanour. Then at the end of the day, House went home to his empty apartment, fed Steve, played his piano and drank scotch. _Just_ the way he liked it.

It was not until Wednesday, however, that House became restless and wanted a challenge. They had solved the case in less than a day. Foreman and Chase were treating the patient, and Cameron had come to House before lunch to tell him she had noted his treatment in his medical file. At two thirty Cameron came back to House's office to tell him that she had completed two of his clinic hours, as asked.

"What do you want me to do now?"

He was on his game boy, and didn't remove his eyes from the screen.

"Sort the mail"

"Did it"

"And my clinic hours?"

"Yes, and the patient's files."

"Make me a coffee"

"Ahem!" She cleared her throat and nodded towards the steaming cup she had just placed on his desk.

"Cool. You're superwoman."

"One name for me. The other is proactive" This earned an obnoxious snort of laughter from House. She sighed. "What do you want me to do now?"

"Lap dance." He was pretty surprised at her reaction.

"Right, where's the CD player?"

_Did she just find that amusing? She's smiling! Anomaly. Interesting._

"Do whatever you like"

"Ok... I'll be in the lab, I could run some gels". She turned to leave, but he threw his game boy onto the desk, and called:

"Cameron!" She spun around, a slight frown on her face. "On second thought, I want you to do something much more creative."

"Oh God" She closed her eyes.

"I want you to start slacking"

Her eyes snapped open, and her frown deepened, but a smile danced over her mouth for a moment:

"I'm sorry, what?"

"SLACK-ING" He drew the word out, leaning back in his chair.

She opened her mouth, closed it, and shook her head abruptly, lost for words. She silently walked forward and placed herself in the chair opposite Houses desk.

"O-Kay?"

"You, are a workaholic" He put his hands behind his head

"Right" She folded her hands neatly in her lap. This earned her raised eyebrows from her boss.

"So I want to see if you can do what I do for an afternoon. It's two thirty, so, you have three hours. Your mission, should you choose to accept it" She smiled at him then "Is to bring your laptop through here- I don't trust you otherwise- and to do NOTHING worthwhile for a whole afternoon"

"Dr House, you pay me to work, and I enjoy it, so..." But he cut her off.

"-I pay you to do what I say, go get the laptop, Cameron, or you're more messed up than I gave you credit for."

She couldn't argue, she couldn't let him be right. So she marched off, and brought in her laptop. Clearing space on one end of his desk, she set down the device and pulled up a seat. For the next half hour, she scanned pages of designer stores, looking for a new suit. She needed to treat herself now and again. House was on his own computer but she didn't care to look at what he was doing. Outside, the rain was falling and the sky was grey. She sighed at how very depressing the weather was. Moments later, a box appeared in the corner of her screen, alerting her to the fact that someone was initiating a conversation with her on msn messenger which she never actually used but had seemed to spread through the hospital like wildfire as an excuse not to work.

_Strange _she thought, and opened the message. It surprised her when she read the sending address: she looked up at him, but he didn't look back. So she opened the message.

_"Enjoying slacking Dr C? No didn't think so. What are you doing? Research, no doubt"_ She took the bait, and pressed reply:

_"If Chanel counts as research, then yeah._"

"_Chanel counts as rip off."_

A few seconds later, he had still not made eye contact but the conversation continued. Cameron sent:

"_Didn't think you were the kind to use msn. Interesting."_

"_And yet you added me to your friends list. More interesting"_

_"Oh, please, I add everyone to my friends list."_

_"Figures"_

Cameron switched to more affordable websites, her idea of treating herself out the window due to that huge amount of her brain screaming 'think about the bank balance!'

After another ten minutes or so, House started to watch her. When she noticed she shifted uncomfortably in her chair and asked:

"What?"

"You're just dying to work, aren't you?"

"I want to do my job"

"You've done your job, for today at least. Tomorrow, same deal."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Work like a hamster on speed all morning, and then come slacking with your boss. We can even watch my TV... I tivo-ed Desperate Housewives. I figured that's your thing."

"Uh... yeah. But, doesn't Wilson usually slack with you?"

"Wilson has other things on his mind"

"New oncology nurse?"

"Yeah" Cameron couldn't help but notice House looked a little sad when he said this, and she felt sorry for him.

"Fine."

"I know she is... Didn't think she was your type, not dying, old or Australian..."

"No!" She shot back, "I mean... slacking. Fine."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

House grinned at his little duckling. He couldn't admit it to her, but he was lonely now Wilson and Malibu Barbie were hooking up. And Cameron at least made him feel less alone. The two of them sat in a comfortable silence for most of the afternoon. House showed Cameron some online games and videos which lightened the mood with her laugh ringing around his office. Cameron sent House some photos of Chase drunk and partying, only after he swore never to let Chase know she sent them. All in all the two of them really had a great afternoon. Cuddy wasn't hunting House down and the boys were busy doing their own thing. If fact, House could almost forget that his best friend was too busy for him and his leg hurt. Just briefly he felt young and carefree again. All because of a few photos of an Aussie doing the cha cha slide at one in the morning, tanked on vodka shots.


	2. Chapter 2

**I really like this chapter; it has three out of five of my favourite things: Cuddy/Wilson, DUCKLINGS, and Wilson/House friendship. House does interact with the ladies in later chapters, so don't fret! Yes, I just really like this chapter because it's quite a good atmospheric chapter; I'm kind of hoping it accurately portrays some of the hospital life.**

Chapter two- The way things are

Thursday started with a cold breeze whipping around the trees outside the hospital. All three ducklings were extremely relieved to get inside the conference room, a warm haven which had become a home from home for the three. Despite arguments and disagreements, it couldn't be denied that said three were close. Granted, Foreman was competitive. He was the most ambitious, and perhaps the most restless. Chase, on the other hand, knew he had a good deal working at the teaching hospital. Despite House treating him like crap, he could come to work everyday, do what he enjoyed, and socialise as well. He didn't appreciate the job for what it was, but he enjoyed it. He wouldn't want to leave Princeton mainly because he knew full well he'd never be able to socialise on quite the same level elsewhere. Cameron was very different. She loved the job, the chance to work with one of the best diagnosticians in the country, the chance of open access to the best pathology lab she had ever seen. Not to mention that the Dean of Medicine was a woman, and Cameron had great admiration for Cuddy for getting where she was. Cameron, like Chase, would never leave the job out of choice, but for the simple reasons that she loved what she did and she had a strong sense of loyalty to her boss and co-workers. This sense of loyalty was what set her apart from the men.

Cameron was standing making coffee, he back to the other two. Chase was sitting at the table, his back to the whiteboard, chewing the end of one of the marker pens, whilst Foreman sat opposite him, leafing through a neurology journal. Chase first initiated conversation, after the polite exchange of 'good morning's'.

"So I went out to Hansen's last night."

Foreman laughed, and shook his head slightly:

"Get drunk?"

Chase groaned: "Plastered"

Cameron chuckled, raising her eyebrows at Foreman as she turned away from the coffee machine; she walked over to Chase and placed a fresh mug of hot coffee in front of him. She placed a hand on his shoulder before saying (sweetly but mockingly):

"If you can't handle it, Chase, stick to cherryade."

She spun round back to the coffee machine as Chase mumbled something that sounded like 'very funny' and Foreman sniggered and joked:

"Lets not have a catfight, ladies… we know who'd win."

Mornings at the hospital always started like this. Jokes and quiet laughter in the conference room, that small section of the hospital in an understanding calm. Despite the differences, the doctors understood one another, and their dynamics were remarkably smooth. Foreman, the big brother, sarcastic, and smart, not yet on the same level as House. Chase playing the fool, but a loveable fool all the same, and Cameron the best friend figure, her gentle mocking and teasing outweighed by genuine concern, care and compassion. Outside the room, bustling nurses and visitors, already hard at work, bright lights and beeping machines, talking and shouting, crying, a stark contrast to this bubble of quiet acceptance, which passers by don't seem to notice, where the meeting of eyes or small action like a pat on the back can speak louder than a thousand words.

Downstairs, Dr Lisa Cuddy was already fully engrossed in her job, and already stressed. She was on the phone, angrily picking up sheets of paper, stuffing them into appropriate cardboard files, telephone clamped between her ear and shoulder:

"Well tell them the delivery is essential…. I know that, but what do I do if there's an inspection? Hmm? Tell them 'oh well that doesn't matter, we have ONE extra per patient?' Oh, I'm sure that will go down just wonderfully!... No I'm not shouting unnecessarily, this rage is completely and utterly necessary! …Let me speak to someone with neurones. _Thank you_."

Just then, a quiet tap comes from the office door, and Cuddy calls for the Oncologist to 'come in'. He does as commanded. A good ten minutes and Cuddy's rant has done the trick. She slams down the phone and with a triumphant smile collapses down into her chair, finally at eyelevel with Wilson.

"Sorry about that. I don't know where they find the 'customer care' people. Certainly no where that I'm going to look next time I need to hire someone…. How are you?"

"I'm fine; I was coming to tell you that I'm pretty booked up this week, ten new patients and meetings coming out of my ears. House will probably call me in for a consult. So, any chance I could loose a few clinic hours this week, have them next?"

"Sure…" She said as she stared at one of her charts before pulling the lid off a pen and noting down something on the paper in front of her. She then continued: "I'd be careful if I were you, House will come looking for you with his cane."

"I'm sure I can fight him off" joked Wilson.

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure he's building up Foreman and Chase as his bullyboys." She smiled "And Cameron's just dying to be his b1tch".

Wilson chuckled at the imagery this conjured up, but quickly stopped as that included Cameron in some sort of mini skirt and leather. He could do without House being after him for thinking that as well.

After leaving Cuddy's office, he strutted into the lobby, adjusting his tie, when he saw the one person he would rather have avoided this morning. He really didn't want to have to tell his friend that he was too busy to spend time with him today, especially because the oncologist was still feeling a pang of guilt from lying to his boss. He only had eight patients. But two slots this afternoon were being used up by his new flame. But it was too late to disappear now; House was already descending on him. As usual, House had an unpleasant good morning greeting for his best friend. However, today there was more venom behind it, because House was still annoyed about his lack of companionship and having embarrassed himself to persuade Cameron to fill in for Wilson.

"Well if it isn't Doctor Lothario himself." Announced House when he reached his friend. The two of them walked to the elevator in silence. As they stepped inside, Wilson spoke:

"I'm sorry I'm not hanging out with you."

"Great to know. Really, I was beginning to doubt you as the 'ridiculously sincere' one"

"House." Wilson chastised gently, "The oncology department's overflowing at the moment."

"With twenty two year old blonde nurses? Yeah. I heard."

"House, I need to do my job."

"Womaniser? Sometimes I wonder why I didn't choose that career path. Doesn't matter anyway." The elevator came to a stop and as House stepped out he finished "See you later".

As Wilson slowly made his way down to his office he sighed deeply. House was pretty mad, but Wilson convinced himself not to worry about it, after all if House wasn't such a stubborn jerk all the time then Karl from bookkeeping might actually be his friend.

Wilson was trying to convince himself he didn't feel guilty right up until his first patient came in. Then he was distracted again. Like his marriages, Wilson's guilt emotion rarely lasted any notable amount of time.

Chapter three- Favours. 

"How are my kids?" House said loudly, after dry swallowing a Vicodin to take his mind off things.

"Great" Said Foreman "No new cases... the patient's responding to your treatment. In fact, he's due for it any minute now… shall I?"

"Yeah" said House "Foreman, keep the patient alive. Go treat him. Then do your clinic hours. Chase- I want you to run some tests on our samples, and log them, we need to be able to have a better way to recognise this… and you can do your clinic hours, too."

Chase piped up "So, is Cameron coming as well? Those tests will take until lunchtime without help."

"Exactly" House said, widening his eyes a little for emphasis "and this afternoon Chasey-wasey can do his clinic hours, or does he need Cameron to hold his hand doing those too?" He taunted in a false baby-ish voice.

After Foreman had strolled and Chase had scurried out of the conference room, Cameron moved over towards House and handed him his morning coffee.

"Good morning, House" She smiled. Somehow she felt special, because he hadn't dismissed her like the others. Taking a sip of his coffee, her boss raised his eyebrows in greeting. He liked how she was still here. It made him feel almost special, that she hadn't scurried off to bury herself in papers and tests like she used to when he didn't specify her a job to do.

"Good morning, Cameron" She loved how his voice sounded when he said her name, she thought. But then she inwardly scolded herself for using his name and the word 'love' in the same sentence.

He continued: "Go do my clinic hours… and yours. I get to slack before you because I'm the expert" With that he handed her his name badge.

She smiled and started to quickly tidy files and books the boys had left scattered on the table. House watched her. It figured she'd want everything neat again before she left. Fixed, in its place.

He smiled inwardly, and considered the fact that really, if he were Wilson, he would hit on Cameron rather than Mindy-Lou, or whatever her name was. The he remembered his warning look at Wilson at this very suggestion. So Wilson felt she was out of limits? That's rich. But why had House ensured that Cameron had a 'don't go within twenty feet on fear of cane beating' sign stapled to her forehead? He wasn't going to think about it. But before he even got the chance to think things through, his mouth had moved without first consulting his brain.

"And Cameron" _What am I doing! _His brain screamed, but it was too late to back out now without looking like an idiot. At least, that was what he told himself before adding "Uh, and come get me when you're going to the cafeteria"

_Wow._ Thought Cameron. She considered asking a question which would force him to admit what he wanted, but a small part of her told her that this was not what he needed.

"Sure." She smiled at him again before sweeping out of the room leaving House alone with his thoughts.

The only thought running through his head, though, was _'you idiot.'_

Cameron knew it was stupid, but she couldn't help but feel thrilled that House actually wanted to spend time with her. Granted, it was probably a 'take that' to Wilson, but she didn't care. She was careful to avoid Cuddy at all costs when wearing the 'Dr G House' badge which House had given her earlier. She also tried not to look Nurse Brenda in the eye when saying 'So, those were the hours for Dr House, if Cuddy asks', she knew that all she would get was a disapproving shake of the head or even a tut.

It was one thirty before Cameron even realised it, and despite being pleased to see she had done both her and Houses clinic hours plus overtime, she couldn't help but feel a sickening sinking feeling in her stomach when she looked at the clock, House probably got impatient and went to lunch a good hour ago. She practically ran to the office.

On her breathless arrival, she couldn't help but smile. House was standing by his desk and when he saw her widened his eyes as if to say 'finally' and hobbled towards the door. Grabbing her by the crook of the arm and limping away with her in tow he said:

"My God woman, do you not feel hunger?"

"I'm so sorry, I didn't notice the time and..."

"Don't sweat it" he cut in. She worried too much. "At least this way, we have a guarantee of running into Cuddy. She tends to hover in the cafeteria around now. I take it I did my clinic hours this morning?"

"You did" she smirked as they got into the elevator.

"And I take it I was polite, caring, and dare I say it _nice?"_

"That would be a yes" Cameron smirked again and looked at House who raised his eyebrows. "To all three." She finished.

He grinned at his little protégé, before saying:

"Now THAT is what I pay you for! That, and the nice body you've got going on." She rolled her eyes, before he carried on. "Who knows, we may even get _positive patient feedback_. I need to see Cuddy when that happens. Oh, will her face be red!"

They quietly bantered as usual as they made their way to the cafeteria. They picked their meals up, well actually, Cameron went all 'mother hen' on him, and ordered his meal for him. In fact, she did everything for him as they approached the tills; she even made sure he had paper napkins. He was about to make a snarky comment, but he stopped when he saw the careful way in which she filled his drink up, placing it on his tray, getting him a straw. It fascinated him that she would even bother to do these things.

She paid for him! Without question! He gleefully realised this fact, and realised he better be at least half way to nice with her this afternoon. Even Wilson only paid for him because he had to. House couldn't help but acquire a pompous strut (as much as he could, with his cane) as if to say 'Yep, I'm eating lunch with Dr. Cameron, guys, and yep, she paid for me!' Still the alpha male of the hospital.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three- Favours. 

"How are my kids?" House said loudly, after dry swallowing a Vicodin to take his mind off things.

"Great" Said Foreman "No new cases... the patient's responding to your treatment. In fact, he's due for it any minute now… shall I?"

"Yeah" said House "Foreman, keep the patient alive. Go treat him. Then do your clinic hours. Chase- I want you to run some tests on our samples, and log them, we need to be able to have a better way to recognise this… and you can do your clinic hours, too."

Chase piped up "So, is Cameron coming as well? Those tests will take until lunchtime without help."

"Exactly" House said, widening his eyes a little for emphasis "and this afternoon Chasey-wasey can do his clinic hours, or does he need Cameron to hold his hand doing those too?" He taunted in a false baby-ish voice.

After Foreman had strolled and Chase had scurried out of the conference room, Cameron moved over towards House and handed him his morning coffee.

"Good morning, House" She smiled. Somehow she felt special, because he hadn't dismissed her like the others. Taking a sip of his coffee, her boss raised his eyebrows in greeting. He liked how she was still here. It made him feel almost special, that she hadn't scurried off to bury herself in papers and tests like she used to when he didn't specify her a job to do.

"Good morning, Cameron" She loved how his voice sounded when he said her name, she thought. But then she inwardly scolded herself for using his name and the word 'love' in the same sentence.

He continued: "Go do my clinic hours… and yours. I get to slack before you because I'm the expert" With that he handed her his name badge.

She smiled and started to quickly tidy files and books the boys had left scattered on the table. House watched her. It figured she'd want everything neat again before she left. Fixed, in its place.

He smiled inwardly, and considered the fact that really, if he were Wilson, he would hit on Cameron rather than Mindy-Lou, or whatever her name was. The he remembered his warning look at Wilson at this very suggestion. So Wilson felt she was out of limits? That's rich. But why had House ensured that Cameron had a 'don't go within twenty feet on fear of cane beating' sign stapled to her forehead? He wasn't going to think about it. But before he even got the chance to think things through, his mouth had moved without first consulting his brain.

"And Cameron" _What am I doing! _His brain screamed, but it was too late to back out now without looking like an idiot. At least, that was what he told himself before adding "Uh, and come get me when you're going to the cafeteria"

_Wow._ Thought Cameron. She considered asking a question which would force him to admit what he wanted, but a small part of her told her that this was not what he needed.

"Sure." She smiled at him again before sweeping out of the room leaving House alone with his thoughts.

The only thought running through his head, though, was _'you idiot.'_

Cameron knew it was stupid, but she couldn't help but feel thrilled that House actually wanted to spend time with her. Granted, it was probably a 'take that' to Wilson, but she didn't care. She was careful to avoid Cuddy at all costs when wearing the 'Dr G House' badge which House had given her earlier. She also tried not to look Nurse Brenda in the eye when saying 'So, those were the hours for Dr House, if Cuddy asks', she knew that all she would get was a disapproving shake of the head or even a tut.

It was one thirty before Cameron even realised it, and despite being pleased to see she had done both her and Houses clinic hours plus overtime, she couldn't help but feel a sickening sinking feeling in her stomach when she looked at the clock, House probably got impatient and went to lunch a good hour ago. She practically ran to the office.

On her breathless arrival, she couldn't help but smile. House was standing by his desk and when he saw her widened his eyes as if to say 'finally' and hobbled towards the door. Grabbing her by the crook of the arm and limping away with her in tow he said:

"My God woman, do you not feel hunger?"

"I'm so sorry, I didn't notice the time and..."

"Don't sweat it" he cut in. She worried too much. "At least this way, we have a guarantee of running into Cuddy. She tends to hover in the cafeteria around now. I take it I did my clinic hours this morning?"

"You did" she smirked as they got into the elevator.

"And I take it I was polite, caring, and dare I say it _nice?"_

"That would be a yes" Cameron smirked again and looked at House who raised his eyebrows. "To all three." She finished.

He grinned at his little protégé, before saying:

"Now THAT is what I pay you for! That, and the nice body you've got going on." She rolled her eyes, before he carried on. "Who knows, we may even get _positive patient feedback_. I need to see Cuddy when that happens. Oh, will her face be red!"

They quietly bantered as usual as they made their way to the cafeteria. They picked their meals up, well actually, Cameron went all 'mother hen' on him, and ordered his meal for him. In fact, she did everything for him as they approached the tills; she even made sure he had paper napkins. He was about to make a snarky comment, but he stopped when he saw the careful way in which she filled his drink up, placing it on his tray, getting him a straw. It fascinated him that she would even bother to do these things.

She paid for him! Without question! He gleefully realised this fact, and realised he better be at least half way to nice with her this afternoon. Even Wilson only paid for him because he had to. House couldn't help but acquire a pompous strut (as much as he could, with his cane) as if to say 'Yep, I'm eating lunch with Dr. Cameron, guys, and yep, she paid for me!' Still the alpha male of the hospital.


	4. Chapter 4

Loving this chapter. I hope you're all enjoying the story so far, by the way. We have Wilson being a bit of a jerk here, but don't worry, that won't be staying. We have cuteness on the House/Cameron front, and some Lisa Cuddy thought. All with a dash of light Stacey bashing. Perfect. Read and review.

Chapter four- Introductions. 

There was no denying it, their lunch was great. They got along like a house on fire, no pun intended. In the bright lights and casual atmosphere of the cafeteria, neither party felt the need to mention 'DHA', or even work. They just chatted about Houses bike and Corvette, and Cameron's little Lexus, which she had been saving for since college when her husband died. House was pretty impressed that she wasn't driving something completely tasteless. They talked about her apartment, how she actually really liked it where she was, and didn't get any noise, despite teenagers in the same building. He talked about how his apartment, no doubt, got better views than hers, describing his area as the 'cool kids' area of Princeton. All in all, they got along excellently, to Houses surprise.

About halfway through their meal, after House gathered up the courage to steal a tomato from Cameron's plate, and she had begun stealing his fries (which she had persuaded him to have- 'a Reuben isn't enough for lunch!'), when Wilson and the little blonde thing came strolling into the cafeteria. House noticed this immediately:

"Oh God." Cameron craned her head slightly to where House was staring miserably.

"Don't stare at them House, they'll only want to join us"

He would have snarked at this usually but he really wasn't in the mood right now. So he did as he was told.

Approximately five minutes later, the oncologist and limpet were paying for their food. House started staring at them again, completely distracted from what Cameron was saying. She looked over again to see what had provoked such an utter look of disgust in Houses eyes. She saw. And she understood. The blonde had her hand on Wilson's lower back, and was gently moving it up and down… dangerously low down for a public place. But the look of disgust was also a slightly hurt look, wistful even, as though House should be the one with a beautiful blonde attached to his side. Maybe he was once upon a time, thought Cameron. She couldn't stand to see him like this for much longer, to see a man with such strength and intelligence be put down by a blonde stealing his lunch buddy? It just didn't seem right to her. So she put her hand gently on top of his.

"House?"

At the sudden contact, Houses' head snapped back, making eye contact with Cameron. He didn't say anything, and Cameron felt pretty pleased with herself, because he didn't move his hand away either. Cameron said quietly:

"They'll only want to join us."

He smirked at her knowing look. She was right; he would go clinically insane if he had to watch the lovebirds fawn all over each other. And he didn't fancy puking up fries. What a great end to a great dinner.

"Yeah" He smiled at her, just a little. She adored the way that his smile started at the corner of his mouth, and only dared to show fully for an instant, so if you were to blink you'd miss it. Then she realised how clichéd her thoughts were becoming, and stopped herself.

She slid her hand off his and it rested back on the table, just a short distance away from his. When House glanced up, he saw that Wilson and pal were heading in their direction, and he alerted Cameron to this fact by placing his hand over hers and rubbing his thumb over it quickly. He told himself that he did this because any other warning would have been overheard by the approaching couple.

Cameron's stomach fluttered at the gesture, even though she knew it was simply an alert to the approaching couple's descent.

"Hi House, Cameron" Wilson greeted, only getting a 'hey' in response from Cameron, House didn't even bother to make eye contact. Wilson continued, "Uh, This is Miranda Sears, she's our new oncology nurse. Miranda, this is Doctor Allison Cameron, known to most as just Cameron"

Cameron held her hand out to the young woman. Cameron couldn't help but notice that the girl looked remarkably like Eva Longoria, with blonde highlights. Impressive.

"Hi, nice to meet you" Cameron said politely shaking hands with Miranda.

Wilson continued his introduction:

"And this is Dr Greg House, he's head of diagnostics. World renowned"

"Hey!" said Miranda, offering her hand out. House didn't take it. Cameron wondered why Wilson looked so surprised, he'd known House forever, but he wasn't acting like it. Miranda looked a little surprised at Houses reaction, but carried on talking, trying to lighten the mood.

"I studied nursing in my hometown, and I'm so thrilled to be working with James, I mean Dr Wilson. So thrilled. I'm sure you felt the same way, working with Dr House?" She sounded a little uncertain as she addressed this question to Cameron, who answered coolly.

"Absolutely. It's great to work with someone so recognised in their field" Her eyes fluttered back to House who was watching her intently as she kept up the stilted conversation. She smiled at him.

Miranda opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by House, who simply said:

"Cameron." And handed over his Reuben, for de-pickling. Cameron waited until Wilson had steered Miranda off to the other end of the cafeteria before starting her pickle related challenge.

"Aren't you going to lay into me now? Tell me I should have been polite, spoken to her without referring to their romantic escapades?"

"No. I was having enough trouble myself staying off the topic."

The fact that this was her answer cheered him up immensely. She was definitely not Stacey. And that was definitely a good thing.

Cameron then felt it necessary to add:

"You did the right thing, you don't want to hurt Wilson, he is still your best friend."

Usually, such a comment from the woman in front of him would have provoked a comment about not needing such clarification from her. But for some reason, he was happy to know that he'd been in the right. He was pleased because of her approval. Maybe he was more insecure than he thought.

Just then, the click of patent Prada heels made House close his eyes and want the ground to swallow him up.

"House, I'm pleased to hear you've been doing your clinic hours today."

"I aim to please"

"Keep it up. Enjoy your—"That was when Cuddy realised that House didn't have anything in front of him. Her eyes snapped to Cameron, who was- removing his pickles? Cuddy was intrigued, as the dainty immunologist carefully removed the last of the offending food stuffs and put them on her plate, before handing House his sandwich back saying:

"There, no pickles".

The dean of medicine was shocked. She had never seen Stacey ever do such thing for House, in fact just then Cuddy had a flash back to when Stacey would come by the hospital some lunchtimes and would often tell House to 'quit whining Greg' or 'give it up, you're not five'. There was no such behaviour from Allison Cameron, who happily polished off some of the pickles as House murmured an appreciative 'thank you'.

Cuddy felt somehow she was intruding; which was ridiculous, she told herself. But she couldn't help but feel that she'd walked in on a moment which only the two of them should share. So she excused herself:

"Well, better get back, the hospital isn't going to run itself".

At her retreating back House chuckled:

"The perfect crime, how to avoid clinic, chapter one!" He shuddered then as Cameron crunched on a pickle. "How can you eat those? They are the Lisa Cuddy of the food world."

"Well, then, you won't want to be kissing me this afternoon."

Usually, this would have caused an awkward silence between them, but today, things were different. So the conversation continued and wandered to the approaching Christmas holiday season. The two of them headed back to the diagnostics department in a wonderful mood, all things (i.e. Wilson and Miranda) considered.


	5. Chapter 5

This chapter… I liked writing it. I'm not really sure how good it is though. A House/Cameron squee moment, not dissimilar to the kind on the show, is involved. And Desperate Housewives is used a little. Not a crossover, you'll see what I mean. This is mainly a thought and opinion chapter. And I included more light Stacey bashing. Just for good measure.

Chapter five- Trust

Cameron stood, slightly uneasily at Houses office door when they were inside. For some ridiculous reason, she felt somehow embarrassed, or shy. Despite the fact that she had already spent an afternoon here, just with House. He was currently wheeling his little old TV towards the two plush chairs which were usually occupied by him and Wilson. He looked up, and wondered why Cameron looked so worried.

"Close the blinds" he instructed, before hastily adding "we don't want Dr Cuddy seeing that we have nothing to do".

He watched as Cameron carefully made her way to the cord and started to pull the blinds closed. He couldn't help but wonder if she still liked him. If this wasn't just how she would behave around Foreman and Chase, because he was still the man she wanted. Before he thought twice, he hobbled over to the door leading out to the corridor. When he reached her he stood right in front of her, in her personal space, and looked her in the eyes. She had finished closing the blinds now, and they were so close he could practically hear her heart beating. After she had clearly got very tense, with the tip of his cane, he silently pushed down the lock on his door, maintaining his eye contact and proximity to Cameron. He couldn't quite read her expression, and the silence in the room was starting to make him uncomfortable, so after a brief, lingering moment which felt like hours, he turned and went to sit down in his chair. As he turned his back, he couldn't help but notice that Cameron let out the breath she must have been holding. He smirked to himself.

_Yes,_ he thought, _I've still got her._

The episode was a season one Desperate Housewives repeat. Cameron was about to comment that she could pretty much recite the whole script to him if he asked her to. Then she realised what a geek that would make her sound. She was truly pleased to notice that House seemed to enjoy the show. At a few of Bree's lines, he actually laughed out loud.

The conclusion of the episode was, naturally, Mary Alice's voice:

"Trust is a fragile thing".

Cameron loved these lines. So philosophical and thought provoking.

"Once earned, it affords us tremendous freedom."

_I wonder if he trusts me?_ Cameron wondered, glancing at House. _He asked me to ensure he got ketamine, I earned his trust._

"But once trust is lost, it can be impossible to recover."

Both Cameron and House instantly thought about Stacey. In his mind, House bitterly agreed with Mary-Alice's soothing voice.

"Of course the truth is, we never know who we can trust."

House wondered then if he trusted Cameron. Not as much as he had trusted Stacey, although perhaps that was a good thing?

"Those we're closest to can betray us"

House swallowed. It really was quite unnerving how much a 'philosophical' end to an episode of Desperate Housewives could bring up such raw emotion.

"And total strangers can come to our rescue."

At this, House had a flashback to when he first met Cameron. Young and pretty, quietly and clearly spoken. Had she come to his rescue? He almost scoffed at this very 'Hallmark' thing to think.

"In the end, most people decide to trust only themselves. It really is the simplest way to keep from getting burned."

With this, both doctors' minds went immediately to the other. _How true. Like he'd ever trust me. _Cameron thought sadly. _She's ridiculously trusting... she should take the damn TVs advice. _ Thought House sadly. He hated the thought of her getting hurt. He'd kill any man who hurt her. Had he hurt her? The sheer thought made him feel sick, and guilty, two things he hated to feel.

A few moments passed before House clicked off the TV, and Cameron spoke.

"So, you like it?"

"Yeah… I've been watching it, don't ask, for a while"

She smiled "Well, don't worry, I won't tell anyone… and you've always got the excuse that you just like watching for Gabrielle"

"How true."

It was then that Houses cell started ringing. He rolled his head beck, exasperated, and didn't answer.

"Shall I get that?" she asked jokingly, smiling suspiciously.

"Yeah" he said tossing her the phone. She hadn't expected that. "If it's my mom she'll think I'm finally settling down again and leave me alone for a while, and if it's one of the boys, you can give me the message."

She started to giggle at the fact that she was answering Houses cell, but she did it anyway.

"Hello?" she smiled down the phone, half laughing at the bizarre situation.

"Cameron!" Oh God, it was Wilson. "Why are you answering Houses cell? Wait, oh no, is this a bad time? I'll call back! Don't stop! Carry on whatever you were doing!" panic was setting in his voice.

"No, no! Don't worry." She handed the phone over to House.

The fact that Wilson misunderstood the situation completely certainly lightened the mood in the office. Much like the day before the two sat on their computers, but mostly they talked. Somehow, some psychological barrier seemed to have been broken down, and nothing was standing in their way. House was in a far better mood because Wilson had offered to go out for drinks tonight and tomorrow night, to 'catch up'. Cameron told House how she and the boys would be going out on Friday night, and she promised to send him any incriminating pictures of either duckling.

Another companionable afternoon in which he snarked, and she took it with grace even laughing sometimes, went quicker than either would have liked it to. By the time House got into Wilson's car, he was almost happy, and was not about to comment on Minky… or whatever her name was.


	6. Chapter 6

I like this chapter. It's a House/Wilson friendship chapter. I hope the dialogue between the two is true to the show's portrayal of their relationship. There's very little Cameron, but there is a LITTLE. Also, rats aren't always nocturnal so don't bash me for Steve sleeping at night. Yep, I think this is one of my better chapters possibly because I love writing House/Wilson friendship dialogue. Please tell me what you think of my portrayal of Wilson/House, I can't decide whether I'm really strong at it or really weak.

Chapter six- Wilson's last dime.

Sitting in the bar, House really had forgiven Wilson. I mean, he was making the effort out of work, and (although House tried not to admit it to himself) it gave House the opportunity to spend time with Cameron. He liked her; of course he LIKED her, who didn't? It didn't mean he wanted to marry her, have 2.5 kids, a golden retriever and a house in the suburbs. He liked her company. That was all, and it wasn't a crime to enjoy someone's company. Or someone's looks.

Wilson was curious. He had seen that brief moment in which House touched Cameron's hand, and he knew full well that House didn't DO that… well, not for the past five years anyway. So he thought he'd bring up the Cameron topic subtly. But James Wilson was anything but subtle when it came to talking with his best friend, and his mouth moved before his brain had time to stop it in its eager haste:

"So, you and Cameron?"

"… Ate lunch together."

"Oh, come on, you touched her hand!"

"Does it make you feel uncomfortable? I'm sorry; I just don't think I could sustain a relationship with you"

Wilson rolled his eyes:

"You like her-"

"Of course I like her!"

Wilson looked gleeful at this confession:

"Like her as in... LIKE her?"

"No! Like her as in, she reminds me of Bambi"

"The hooker?"

"The deer."

"Right."

"Stop it Wilson, stop scheming. My God, you're as bad as Cuddy. And stop looking at me like that; I can practically SEE you picking out the wedding colors."

"You just can't do it can you?"

"Here we go" House despairingly said to himself, "do what?"

"Allow yourself within twenty feet of another woman." Wilson said, sadly.

"What about Bambi?"

"The deer?"

"The hooker."

"Ok." Wilson was becoming exasperated "You can allow yourself to look at women, talk to them, flirt with them…" He shuddered "hire them. YOU can go within twenty feet. But your heart, that's a different matter altogether" He took a sip of his drink.

"Please, stop sounding like a 6th grade counsellor"

"It's true. In fact, I can guarantee this thing with Cameron won't lead anywhere."

"How so?" House was suspicious now, _can't cripples get girls?_ He asked himself angrily.

"Because, you won't let it. You never will. You know what you want, I know what you want, but you're too stubborn to allow anything to happen!" Wilson's voice was raised slightly now. "In fact if I were to put money on it, I'd put my last dime on you never acting on your feelings. You just can't do it."

Wilson searched House's eyes for some sign that he took the bait. No clue, House was always impossible to read. Cuddy had said that if Wilson told House he couldn't do something, he was guaranteed to want to do it with a passion usually reserved for medical puzzles.

House was seriously annoyed. He so was not afraid to give his heart to someone. Not much, anyway. Was Wilson just trying to bait him into a relationship? Well if he was, House was going to bite down… hard. He reasoned with himself that he didn't have anything to loose… this was Cameron, she wasn't going to break his heart, and even if it lead nowhere, it was CAMERON, hardly a regrettable person to date.

House didn't answer Wilson, though. The night carried on much as it had begun: casual, friendly chat. But in the back of both men's mind was the same question: did House have the stubbornness and the backbone needed to initiate a relationship? Neither man knew the answer, but House knew he would try.

Across town, Cameron was lying in bed. She was tossing and turning, i-pod in her ears. Thinking about House. She had told herself so many nights that she hated him, and when that failed to stick, that she just didn't like him. Something was so very different now they were spending more time together. Not only was it becoming more difficult for her to tell herself she didn't like him in a romantic way, but now she knew she liked him as a friend. And something about the line separating the two was blurry. She thought about Chase. Now THAT was simple. He thought she was hot, she thought he was… nice looking. But with Chase, she could see clearly that he was a friend. Not boyfriend material. There was no such clarification where House was concerned.

"So..." Wilson said "Hansen's tomorrow night?"

"Sure" House couldn't help but recognise the name of that bar, but he was slightly tipsy so he didn't think about it for long.

"It's supposed to be great. They have a dance floor, not that we'd be interested, but still. It's nice to see people enjoying themselves."

"Nice to see young women enjoying themselves, you mean" corrected House.

"Sure. But the drinks are great. I'll come round at seven, ok?"

"Great, thanks for the ride Wilson" House was much more polite when slightly drunk, Wilson thought, as he watched his best friend make his way to the door and let himself in.

As the oncologist made the short trip back to his home, he considered if he should have said that to House, about not letting anyone close. But, it was true. And to be honest, he was probably doing both House and Cameron a huge favour. He smiled as he thought that, in ten years, House might even thank him for it as he rushed off some little princess to her ballet lesson. He smiled wider when he realised he must be going soft in his age.

When he got inside, House flung himself down at the piano. He noticed how it was quiet in the kitchen; Steve must have hit the hay. House started playing the piano, but he couldn't keep his mind on the notes and pretty soon he wasn't playing at all, just sitting, and thinking. Mostly about a certain brunette with big green-grey eyes who he had been spending a lot of time with recently.

And then, it occurred to him, he recognised the bar name because that's where his ducklings were going tomorrow night.

And so was he, with Wilson.

Sh1t.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven- the spirit.

Friday morning arrived, bringing with it the first sign of snow. A frost lay on the ground, and flakes fell from the sky, making futile attempts to stay, but still melting.

Cameron was pretty miserable to have to leave her little warm convertible, but at the promise of her morning coffee, she switched off Belinda Carlisle and made her way into PPTH, happily noticing on her way in that the maintenance guys were putting up the lobby Christmas tree. She loved the holidays.

When House arrived in his corvette, he shuddered at the prospect of getting out into the cold weather. All for what, morning coffee? Although, Cameron was making it, there's a silver lining to every cloud. So he switched off The Who and made his way into the hospital. When he reached the lobby, he realised wretchedly that the fools from maintenance were fixing a ridiculously large Christmas tree up in the lobby. He hated the holidays.

Another morning, another round of coffee. The three young doctors sat around their conference table, chatting quietly. They briefly discussed the fact that the patients condition was almost back to normal, but they then moved onto more interesting topics like the weather, the holidays, the Christmas party, and their planned evening. But Chase had to be awkward:

"So, what's going on with you and House?" Cameron looked slightly taken aback:

"What? Nothing!"

"Oh come on, I came in for coffee and the two of you were in his office, with the blinds closed."

"Come on, man leave it." Cut in Foreman, but Cameron stopped him in his defence, and spoke up to Chase:

"What do you think we were doing?"

"Uh, use your imagination" Chase mocked with an irritating smirk on his face.

"Jealous? We weren't doing anything you'd be interested in."

"Yeah, right." He replied sulkily,

"I swear, Chase, you so suspicious!" Cameron was half laughing now, as was Foreman.

"Fine."

"Oh don't be so miserable! I'm still coming tonight, aren't I?" The mood lightened considerably after that. The three agreed to meet at the bar at seven, and to stay until whenever. Foreman, as usual said he probably wouldn't be staying late. He and his girlfriend weren't really party animals.

When Wilson entered Cuddy's office that morning, he found her massaging her temples with her elbows on her desk. Her forehead was creased into that cute little expression she had when she was stressed out. It made Wilson just want to scurry over and look after his friend, and ask her out for a drink. But he knew what would happen. This was Lisa, and he'd adored her for years, but he could never act upon anything he felt. It would be inappropriate and worse, she was likely to say no, because she knew his reputation. He couldn't take that; he couldn't break the comfortable soft friendship they had. So, he didn't scurry over, he just said:

"Hey Lisa, what did House do this time?"

"Nothing. I'm stressing… over a goddamned Christmas tree!" She threw her hands up at the end of the statement.

Wilson chuckled at his friend's exasperation:

"Ok! What's gone wrong?"

"Well, I'd naturally hired someone to come decorate it for me, choose the ornaments…"

"Naturally."

"But she's cancelled. And I can't do it! Somehow everything looks the same! That's what's gone wrong" She laughed a little, but still looked stressed, the laugh was more a desperate sound, forcing her words out with it.

"I'm not sure if you'd want me to do it… trust me, you don't want House to do it. How about Cameron?"

"What about Cameron?"

"Get her to help."

"James, we're hardly close colleagues, I can't just go 'Hey, Cam, having a difficult time with the tree, care to help?'"

"Uh, are we talking about the same girl?"

"No. NO. It will get back to House. What is it with them? They were like a married couple at lunch yesterday."

"I think, he's getting in touch with his feelings. I'll go talk to her, I'm pretty sure she'd love to help. Over lunch or something."

"Thank you, but she can take the afternoon off, or she doesn't have to do clinic. She has done a ton of overtime and she's not used any of her days off. And if she carries on the way she's going she'll be in need of a shrink in less than a month, no just say for her to forget clinic for today. That way, any emergency and she can be back in the diagnostics department faster than you can say lupus. I mean, if House needs someone to make coffee in a hurry, I certainly don't want to be the one who told Cameron to go to the mall" She took a deep breath after her ramble. Wilson smiled at her softly:

"I'll tell her that. See you later."

"See you."

When House came into the office, and Cameron handed him his coffee as usual, he couldn't help but notice what she was wearing: a red sweater vest over a cream Victorian puff-sleeved shirt with little red polka dots on it, and black suit trousers. She looked fantastic, and then he corrected himself: she looked very nice. Very professional. Very Cameron.

"Good morning, House"

"Good morning, Cameron"

He sent the boys off to 'find me a patient'. He knew they wouldn't, it was a strange phenomenon, Fridays were always slow days. When they were gone he sat next to her and told Cameron to do the clinic hours again, before asking:

"Don't you get bored?"

"Of what?"

"Clinic"

"Uh, no." She laughed a little as she spoke.

"Why the hell not?"

"I enjoy my job."

"You're an immunologist, I'm pretty sure there are cooler… more immunology based things you'd rather be doing."

"I like working with people. I like people."

"Why did I even bother asking, Saint Cameron loves people!"

She smiled and shook her head. She got up. As she passed him on her way out, she trailed her hand from his shoulder, across the back of his neck to the other shoulder as she walked by and said:

"That's right."

House was still having trouble gathering his thoughts together, when he looked after her and noticed Wilson had stopped her just outside the door. He narrowed his eyes. What was this? Someone treading in his territory? What was he going on about, his _territory?_ Cameron was nodding vigorously, and as she turned her head back to look through the glass, she was smiling, and her eyes met his. Something inside him tweaked (with, was it Jealousy?) when she turned away from him again.

House had to admit to himself, he was pretty relieved when Wilson left her about two minutes later. He was pretty sure that had Cameron so much as brushed passed Wilson, he would have become like an over protective ogre. He knew Wilson's reputation with women.

Cameron was just turning to pop her head back into the office to tell House what she was doing this afternoon when she realised that he was already coming out of the differential diagnosis room. He was pretty eager, and, dare she say it, jealous? No, she told herself, that was stupid.

"What was that about?" (Maybe not so stupid) She smiled up at him and crossed her arms.

"I got out of clinic."

"What! How?" He paused for a second "Are you having an affair with Cuddy?"

She grinned at him again:

"I've done loads of overtime, and Cuddy wants me to help her with the Christmas tree. Decorating it."

"Are you kidding? I could do that, no problem."

"Yeah, but you don't have a woman's tastes"

"Thank God"

"So, I'll still do your hours, and then I'm helping Cuddy until lunch I guess."

He was satisfied with that, and he went back into his office happily. He was concerned for a moment that Wilson's lechery had sunk to new levels of low. Snatching Cameron from right under Houses nose. One thing House was convinced would never happen.

The morning was pretty busy in the clinic for the two hours Cameron was covering for House. A lot of little kids with colds, and old people with inflamed arthritis. Cameron was looking forward to decorating the tree with Cuddy. The two had never really connected, and Cameron regretted that. She was looking forward to spending some time with the older woman and getting fully immersed in the Christmas spirit. She could only imagine the hell she would get from House if she was to tell him that.

It didn't seem like long before Cameron had finished Houses time, and ensured Nurse Brenda had it noted down should Cuddy come prowling. Due to the fact that the hospital administrator was predisposed with health and safety checks on the Christmas ornaments, Cameron didn't have to worry about Cuddy catching her doing Houses clinic hours today.

When she had replaced all the files in which she had charted, Cameron headed over to Cuddy's office. She gingerly knocked on the door.

"Come in." Cuddy was immersed in some immensely intimidating looking pile of paperwork; she didn't look up as Cameron quietly picked her way into the office:

"Um, Wilson said you wanted some help…with the Christmas tree"

Cuddy's face lit up, to Cameron's relief. Cameron always felt inadequate around Cuddy.

"Hey, Cameron, I really do… need help, I mean. I'm too stressed to even think it through. Take a look at what we've got" She stood up and gestured to her right, where Cameron noticed for the first time were boxes of Christmas ornaments.

The two women stood looking at the ornaments for a while. Cuddy had laid them out on her desk and Cameron was staring at them silently, with a furrowed brow. Cuddy was standing at the other side of the desk wringing her hands in concern. She just knew it. Cameron was going to declare all the ornaments as dated, she'd be right, and the tree would look terrible. And at the party everyone would be patronising and condescending and she would feel like a first class idiot.

"Right." Said Cameron. "If you want my opinion, use the white lights. These… the ones that twinkle occasionally…" she handed Cuddy the box "And, these baubles, the silver and the gold" two more boxes were placed in Cuddy's hands "Don't go for tinsel, go for the lametta. The gold lametta." Cameron focused on her task for a further second before concluding "And these, the red bows. Red, gold, and silver. Tasteful and 'Christmassy'… what do you think?"

Cuddy was surprised at the certainty with which Cameron had done the job in hand. She was so surprised she could only smile and say 'great' before following Cameron to the tree.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight- Self Control.

The two women got on well as they went about putting the finishing touches to the tree. Cameron had been right, and Cuddy was relieved to be able to just do what Cameron said, and relax for a change.

"So, I take it you will be coming to the Christmas party, Cameron, you obviously love the holidays"

"I will, and I do love them. There's just something magical about Christmas" Cameron replied distantly, tweaking at a bow, making it look just right.

Cuddy smiled down at the young immunologist:

"I guess you visit your family?"

Cameron looked Cuddy in the eye, and laughing almost nervously, said:

"Uh, no."

"Really, I'd always imagine you as the type to-"

But Cameron cut in slightly surprising the older woman.

"We're not that close" Cameron said briskly picking up the box which had contained lametta. Cuddy couldn't help but notice the slight nervousness which had come over Cameron. So she tried to lighten the situation as she helped the younger doctor by picking up some of the other boxes.

"So, how about grabbing some lunch?"

Cameron was quite taken aback.

"Sure, sounds good. I best tell House, or-"

This time it was Cuddy who cut in.

"Don't worry. I talked to Wilson. He's got it covered."

Cameron smiled, realising that Cuddy also cared for House, just in a different way. Cameron also realised how pleased she was to be in female company, something she had sorely missed after taking up her job at Princeton.

The two women pretty much remained silent as they gathered up their lunch, until the usual 'I'll pay' 'No, really, I'll pay' that always seems to occur when people eat with acquaintances rather than friends, and reach the till. Cuddy got her own way in the end, but only because she got the money out faster. It was surprising how stubborn the young doctor could be.

As they sat down together, they fell into a pleasant conversation which was mostly about the upcoming party. Cuddy was clearly worried about it:

"So we've got the meal as always, then a bar and..."

"And?"

Cuddy visibly cringed:

"And dancing… could this be more clichéd? I'm hiring a DJ!" Cuddy was getting more distressed by the minute, until Cameron calmly started her comforting.

"No, no. It doesn't. Sound clichéd I mean. Everyone's going to enjoy it. They did last year- why would that change?"

"I don't know" Cuddy sighed. "It's just so irritating. I spend my life organising this hospital. It IS my life." Cameron was surprised at the truth behind these words "and I can't even organise a party."

"Dr Cuddy, with all due respect…" she trailed off "Can I be blunt?"

"That's what I need. Go ahead"

"Ok. Well, in my opinion, you're thinking way too much into this. You have organised these parties for years. I think I'm speaking for most of the hospital when I say that most people only go for the free bar and the chance to slow dance. The rest is a great bonus for them. By the time we left last year, I'm fully aware that neither Chase nor I were sober enough to remember anything about the party. Foreman had a great time. House, was House… you can't expect anything else. I think you should just sit back now. Everything's planned. Let it run. The last thing you need is to be stressed at Christmas."

Cuddy listened intently realising Cameron was right, she expressed her thoughts out loud.

"You're right. One hundred percent." She sighed.

"Do you have your dress yet?" The perfectly innocent, polite question was immediately regretted by the immunologist, as it was met by a look of utter horror and dismay in the eyes of the dean of medicine.

"Oh God." Said Cuddy through gritted teeth. She looked utterly deflated "I can't believe it. Shoot me. Right now."

Cameron raised her eyebrows at Cuddy, and smiled a little. Cuddy closed her eyes and said:

"Bad joke."

"Do you…" Cameron wasn't sure how to phrase this "I'll help you look. I already got my dress, but…" she trailed off for a moment, before hurriedly adding, noticing the surprise in Cuddys eyes, "It doesn't matter, I guess you have other people to go shopping with."

Cameron picked at her salad and didn't make eye contact. How embarrassing, it was probably now blatantly obvious that she didn't have any girlfriends of her own to go shopping with, so she had jumped at the opportunity, and offered a teenage like idea of a shopping trip. To her boss. Her completely in control, successful, hardworking boss. This was Cuddy she was eating with, not Miranda Sears from oncology. She hated situations like this, situations where no one will talk for-

"No!" Cuddys voice interrupted Cameron's train of thought "I don't have anyone else to go with. It would be appreciated."

"Oh. Sure, any time." Cameron returned to being herself. Cuddy whipped out her palm pilot from her Prada purse before she realised what she was doing. She didn't even bother turning it on, just dropped it back into her purse with a resigned sigh:

"So, are you busy tomorrow?"

"Nope, tomorrow's good, but I'm going for drinks with Foreman and Chase tonight, so don't expect me before noon" both women laughed at this before Cameron continued "so maybe, I'll drop by your place. You live on Chestnut Avenue, right?"

"Yeah, 3600, you need directions?"

"No, it's fine; I went to a patients place just a couple of blocks away with House once. He told me."

"Right." Smiled Cuddy with an eye roll.

The two carried on chatting comfortably for the next few minutes until the handle of a cane cut through the air and loudly hit the table just inches away from Cameron's tray. The sound visibly startled the small brunette, as she jumped and looked up at House. The look she gave him was not anger, but a kind of amused smile with raised eyebrows.

"House?"

He looked over at Cuddy. Her reaction to the noise had been the same as Cameron's but now she was just sitting with her eyes close, obviously taking three deep breaths and counting backwards from ten. When she opened her eyes and looked at House with an exasperated look on her face, she was met by a cheeky grin. He was pleased that he had interrupted a perfectly pleasant lunch. He spoke to his boss then:

"No one steals my Cameron." He prodded said Cameron with the end of his cane "shift". She did as she was told until she had moved around to the back wall of the booth she and Cuddy had chosen. She was now trapped between the two, who were sitting opposite one another. Sure enough, Cuddy had to start an argument:

"Your Cameron? I hardly think so."

"She declared her love for you too?" House said with a mock confused look on his face.

"House!" Cameron was seriously embarrassed now, and her eyes started scanning the cafeteria for Wilson. Where is an oncologist when you need one?

"Don't worry, I know you didn't mean it with her" He said, winking at his protégé as he reached over and snatched up some beetroot with his fork.

Cameron just shook her head and smiled over at House. If Wilson hadn't have come over at that precise moment then Cuddy would have once again felt like an intruder into the situation.

"Ah, sorry. You don't mind if we?" Wilson trailed off, his polite manner the complete polar opposite to the arrogant confidence of his best friend.

"No, no, it's fine" Cameron started to reassure Wilson as he pulled up a chair so he could sit facing opposite to the immunologist.

However, despite the quiet manner of Cameron and Wilson, no such behaviour was about to rub off on Cuddy and House. Therefore, the stilted conversation half of the party had intended on conducting was out of the question. In his typically sarcastic and abrasive manner, it was House who first initiated conversation, but it was more like shooting a metaphorical bullet, directed squarely at the dean of medicine.

"You know, there's a rumour down in haematology that your real name is _Lionel_ Cuddy. Don't worry, I defend you. But there are pictures and I myself am starting to have doubts."

"Cute." Cuddy said sarcastically, before saying in a sickly sweet polite manner "But remember House, it's me who signs your pay checks. And I'm pretty sure you can't afford to keep a bike and a corvette on the road if I lower your pay."

"Ah but, what would you do when we go out on our dates? What then?" He pretended to be genuine concerned and to be considering his own question. Then he pointed at Cuddy with a face which said 'aha!' "I get it! Horseback! THAT'S your thing!"

Cuddy took this remarkably well. Usually, she would have argued back, but she wasn't going to feed his childish manner by attempting to retaliate. So, much to Cameron and Wilson's relief, she just rolled her eyes. To the quiet personalities at the table, Cuddy's acceptance was an action of self control. However, to House, it was simply the evidence that she had lost the battle.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter nine- In your absence.

Lunch carried on with a pretty low key exchange about the weather, and the holidays. The conversation was thankfully only occasionally permeated by a snide comment from House, so the tension at the table was kept to a minimum. Despite the relatively easy conversational flow, it was inevitable that two separate talks would branch off. It so happened that House and Wilson came to discuss 'The Gravedigger' whilst Cuddy and Cameron discussed nothing other than where they got their Christmas cards from this year. House caught snippets of the women's discussion, and for him, snippets was more than enough.

As their meal came to an end Wilson had an emergency page from the oncology department and had to rush off, leaving what had become a relatively comfortable four as a now awkward three. It was clear that House was getting bored. Cameron noticed this when he started to try and balance his credit cards in a tower. Cuddy had ignored him for the past few minutes, after all the women's conversation had taken a turn to wrapping paper, and Cuddy was not going to give House the satisfaction or indeed the opportunity to mock them for it.

It was not until he had started to tap his cane on the leg of the table in an irritating rhythm that the older woman finally suggested they go and bus their trays. However, as she got up to leave, House put his cane out to block her way.

"What?" Cuddy asked flatly.

"Are you letting me have her back?" Everyone around the table knew that by 'her' House was referring to Cameron.

"Well that depends, now doesn't it?" Cuddy teased for a moment before adding "No, actually" she turned to the young doctor "I want you to take an afternoon off. Mostly because 'he' works you to the bone whether you have a case or not, and as I said to Wilson earlier, I don't want to be recommending you a shrink two months from now."

House went silent. For once, he was actually speechless. He really didn't want Cameron taking the afternoon off. Somehow, it seemed criminal that someone who usually did his dirty work for him was actually being allowed time off. By Cuddy! He inwardly considered that perhaps he should learn to decorate dumb Christmas trees and start wearing barrettes, too. He was also irritated at the fact that he would have no slacking buddy for an entire afternoon.

It was Cameron who spoke first. She had been staring at House for a few seconds, before letting her eyes flicker back up to Cuddy.

"Uh, thanks, but… we might get a patient" She was surprised at the fact she wanted to stay in the hospital that afternoon. Prior to her afternoons with House, Cameron was pretty sure she would have jumped at the chance of an afternoon off.

However, in her usual manner, Cuddy got her way. Just a raised eyebrow at Cameron, and a nudge at Houses cane later, it was official. At Cuddy's retreating back, Cameron let out a half laugh, half sharp sigh and looked at House:

"So, I'm guessing I got the afternoon off" She tried to keep her tone cheerful.

"I'm guessing you did." He moved up swiftly and moved to dump his tray at the other end of the cafeteria. For some reason, Cameron noticed, House seemed annoyed at her. So she scrambled off after him, hurrying as she bussed her tray and practically had to run to catch up.

"What was I supposed to do? To say? Cuddy told me I need the time off, she's right"

"Why are you trying to defend yourself? This is not an issue!" He argues back, jabbing harshly at the elevator button, before saying under his breath "Come on."

"It sure seems like it is!" She half laughed at him then.

"Well, it's not!" He hissed back. His jabbing at the elevator button became more and more urgent until, with a defeated angry sigh he stopped.

For an instant, Cameron internally debated what to do. She stepped forward and gently pushed the elevator button. At once, the doors opened, and Cameron desperately tried to hold in a laugh at Houses expression. As the lobby disappeared from sight, Houses anger went with it:

"Well, you might as well laugh now." He said, smirking when Cameron let out a rather unladylike snort of laughter.

"Sorry, it was just, your expression!" She was quite breathless after being given the permission to let out the laugh she had been holding.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes, but it was clear that he was not upset or angry anymore.

They made their way back to the diagnostics department in companionable silence. House left her before reaching the differential diagnosis room in favour of his office. She collected her coat and wrote a note on the white board.

'Foreman and Chase

Gone home, Cuddy gave me the afternoon off. Had to brag about it to you guys before I left. Anyway, have a good afternoon. Page me if anything comes up. See you later.

Cameron.'

It was then that Cameron had an inner turmoil to face. She didn't feel bad for leaving Foreman and Chase, but she certainly felt guilty about leaving House. Exactly 26 minutes after he had departed her company (not that he'd been counting) Cameron entered Houses office.

"I thought you'd left already" It came out more bitter than he had intended so he added, feigning hurt "and without even saying goodbye! That's just mean"

She smiled shyly at him and approached his desk. It was only then that he realised that she had her hands full. _Someone's been to the gift shop!_ He thought gleefully, but didn't let any such feeling show on his face.

"I got you… some things" She said "Because I'm not going to spend the afternoon with you. And I'm sorry" He broke off eye contact then. _Why is she so god dammed NICE all the time? _He thought.

She continued, placing items onto his desk as she listed them:

"There's, well, its some kind of monster truck magazine. Then, I made you a coffee. Umm, and a muffin, triple chocolate chip, I think that's right?"

"It's right."

He was staring at her now, analysing her, eyes narrowed. It was certainly making her feel uncomfortable. When he still didn't speak, but developed an amused smile, she said almost desperately:

"Say something!"

"Thank you?" He questioned "You're feeling guilty"

"Nice observation." She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You can go now. Cameron, my i-pod's missed me. He could do with my attention for an afternoon"

Five minutes later, and Cameron had left. She had been stalling, and that had amused him somewhat. But eventually he had persuaded her to leave.

So the hospital continued as usual. Clinic patients came and went. Doctors busied themselves treating people, and working in their offices. Others ran tests in various labs throughout Princeton Plainsboro. And then there was House, who spent his afternoon with his i-pod and magazine. And, unlike the rest of the hospital which bustled along like always, the absence of Doctor Allison Cameron had an effect on the usually solitary man. He missed her.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten- The guilt trip.

At six thirty, Cameron looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing straight leg jeans, with a plumb coloured vest top, which had a subtle line of gold sequins around the neckline and sleeves, her hair was down and she was wearing the same shoes she wore to work, her usual black pointed toe stiletto heels. She ran a hand through her hair before making her way out her front door.

At five to seven, she arrived at Hansen's Bar. She scanned the room, to see Foreman coming towards her.

"Hey Cameron!" He handed her a drink "Chase isn't here yet, you enjoy your time off?"

The two of them made their way across the room, passing the dance floor and seating themselves at a high stool table, and she informed her colleague that she hadn't done much, just took a rest, and watched a movie. He told Cameron about a little boy in the clinic who had taken a particular disliking to Chase, because of his accent. It was a pretty funny story, particularly because it ended with Chase sulking about some kids comment about his 'weird tie'.

Cameron laughed for a while before the pair fell silent. She didn't know quite how to bring up the topic, but she was desperate to know if House was ok that afternoon. So, still not removing her eyes from her glass, she spoke:

"Foreman?"

"Yeah?"

"Didn't talk to House this afternoon, did you?"

"No" It was then that he noticed the flash of disappointment behind her eyes.

"Look, Cameron" He leaned forward a little in his chair lacing his hands together "He was fine. I saw him when I went to get some coffee. Reading some magazine, listening to music."

Cameron was shocked at how quickly Foreman had realised the true question that lay behind her words.

"Oh, it was just I was wondering if he needed me for a consult on anything! I didn't want to know if he was alright! Why wouldn't he be?"

Her words were laced with an over the top lilt which the young doctor didn't usually possess. It was in that moment that Eric Foreman realised that Allison Cameron was most definitely not a natural or successful liar. So he just said a disbelieving 'right' before continuing the conversation.

A further ten minutes later, Cameron checked her cell phone for missed calls, Chase was late.

"Cameron!" Foreman chuckled nodding towards the bar "That's where Chase got to!"

Cameron looked to where Foremans eyes were fixated. What she saw didn't surprise her, but it was good for light early evening entertainment. Chase was at the bar, drink in hand. He had obviously had every intention of joining his co workers before he was distracted by three overdressed young women, who were currently fawning all over him. If it weren't for the loud music blasting out of the DJs speakers, the pair would have been able to hear that the three young women were also cooing over the Australian, and he was simply lapping it up.

Cameron screwed her face up a little.

"Oh, God."

A further five minutes later and Chase had noticed his friends' observation of his scatter gun approach to getting girls. He had approached them then, and sat down next to Cameron. He had a rather pompous strut as he wandered towards them, Cameron noticed.

House and Wilson wandered into Hansen's at precisely seven fifty. They had, as always, run late because House had persuaded some extra cash out of his friend. Wilson was in a ridiculously good mood, and House had decided that agreeing to come out with Wilson tonight was a regrettable decision when Wilson had made the suggestion of separate cars to take them to the bar. That meant he was planning to bring someone home with him that night or he was planning on talking, meaning neither party would get drunk. Both were somewhat disappointing options for House. If the reason was the first, House was guaranteed to feel like a spare part. If the reason was the second, House would end up sitting listening to Wilson whine about his latest love affair, with no alcohol because he wont 'be able to concentrate on the issue.' But, House decided, due to Wilson's jolly mood, he was confident that he would be having some kind of one night stand this evening. The mere thought made House feel pathetic and 'side-kick' like before the evening had even begun.

As they strolled into the bar together, Houses mood sunk lower. This bar was what he would refer to as a 'Chase Bar' i.e. many young, dressed up girls and posing guys, and a DJ with no taste in music to boot.

About an hour and a half later House was just about to fling another ten dollar note down onto the bar next to Wilson when he froze. Across the bar, he could clearly see his little ducklings. Foreman was on his cell, looking like he was texting, and seemingly ready to leave. Chase was opposite him, scooted quite close to Cameron, and he was clearly quite dunk. Cameron was also not really looking much like she did at work; she was far more animated, occasionally throwing her hands up in the air or her head back with laughter. House couldn't decide whether she looked drunk or just relaxed.

House was distracted looking over at her, until Wilson said rather loudly:

"Enjoying the view?"

"My fellows are here."

"I see that. Wanna go say hi?"

"No."

"Let me rephrase that, we're going to say hi."

House couldn't be bothered to argue, so he just followed Wilson in a rather resigned manner.

They reached the ducklings' booth much faster than House would have liked. Foreman was the first of the three to realise that the two older men were in their presence.

"Hey Wilson, House. What are you doing here? Want a drink? I'm going in a minute but-"

"No, we're set, thanks." Wilson smiled at the neurologist.

"He-y! It's Wilson!" Cameron slurred a little as she spoke "How are ya, House?"

"Just dandy" he said through gritted teeth, why were the others letting her get drunk?

"MOVE, Chase!" She giggled "House will be better company. He's not going to talk about Tiffy and Hannah, and Hailey, or whatever their names are."

Chase slid down off the booth, and despite Houses protestations, he ended up sandwiched between Cameron and Wilson, who was distracted by a conversation with Foreman. He decided he might as well be his sarcastic self, and took up a conversation with Cameron.

"So. You're drunk."

"No-oo! I'm not drunk House, I'm just tipsy. You see I can hold up a conversation with you."

"Yeah, right, so you can tell me this, how are you getting home, Einstein?"

"Shoot" She wrinkled her brow for a moment before her eyes widened as she got an idea "I'll call a cab, silly. And it's only ten o'clock!"

"And yet, here we are."

"Yep." She went silent for a minute, and Wilson headed in Chases vague direction whilst Foreman scurried outside to make a call It was then that she spoke again: "I'm a lightweight"

Just then an attractive young man sidled up to the table where House and Cameron were drinking. Arms outstretched, he said in a voice which sounded like he'd just found gold. He had, House thought bitterly.

"ALLISON CAMEON!"

"SIMON COOPER!" She squealed, scrambling in an unladylike fashion from the stool until she was in the mans' embrace. She kissed him on the cheek, which made House shift uncomfortably in his seat.

For a good ten minutes, House had to put up with this apparent high school reunion. It wasn't. It turned out the guy was a friend from college. House still didn't like it when soon after all his friends crowded round Cameron, offering her drinks and dancing. Despite her somewhat drunken state, she managed to deny all the men, except for one who offered her a gin and tonic, but thankfully not a dance. Cameron got around to introducing House as her friend, which surprised him enough that he behaved himself until the crowd disappeared in various directions. House noted that she had finished her rather large g & t in less than twenty minutes.

"So, this is how you spend your Friday nights?"

"Pretty much. Not like I have anything to go home to"

Cameron may have been the one feeling it earlier that day, but now it seemed it was Houses turn to feel guilty.

Soon, Foreman announced his departure, earning him a hug from Cameron. Now House really was annoyed. Foreman just left her here? With tons of odd looking guys and she was already drunk? Wasn't he going to call her a cab? Drive her home himself? How many times had she just said 'I'll be fine', and Foreman had believed her? Next it was Wilson's turn. He announced that Chase had practically fallen into a cab with three young girls earlier, and he wanted to get home. This meant another hug from Cameron, an uncomfortable looking Wilson and House staring daggers at him.

Now House was left with Cameron, and she was getting bored.

"Ten forty" he muttered to himself. He decided it would be best to take her home soon; else he would get drunk, too. And he could never trust himself when he was drunk. He tended to be honest, and worse, outwardly confident with no regard for how he would feel about it in the morning.

"Dance with me."

This took House completely by surprise.

"Uh, Cameron, I walk with a cane."

She had been sitting with her elbow on the table, head rested on fist, but she now moved so it was resting completely on his shoulder. She was definitely drunk.

"I know but" she sighed "I'm lonely. No one dances with me."

"Do you have a coat?"

"No" she answered sadly.

"Right, let's go then."

As they slowly passed the dance floor, and out into the cold still air of the parking lot she linked her arm through his. He thought she was going to do something stupid, but she surprised him once again. She seemed to be having a sober moment, because she said quite clearly.

"Thank you for taking me home."

"You're welcome"

"And for being nice to me when I get all sluttish"

"I wasn't being nice, I was taking advantage."

"Oh!" She laughed "Well, you missed your chance, mister! I only get like that when I'm drunk and the cold airs clearing my head"

"Darn it!" He said in mock annoyance.

She laughed as he led her to the car, carrying on their banter.

He couldn't help but think how cute she was, a little disorientated, but it at least showed she was human. He wasn't sure sometimes.

She couldn't help but realise through her slightly blurry thoughts how cute he was. He was looking after her, but still being House. At least it showed he was human. She wasn't sure sometimes.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven- Spring.

"Oh, come on!" House was really starting to get annoyed. Cameron had realised that she had 'special things' left in her car, and she had darted off leaving him to 'watch out for her'. He had no idea what Cameron thought was going to happen to her in the five minutes it would take for her to accomplish her mission, but he stood outside in the freezing cold air anyway, watching as much as he could of his employee as she reached a little car he couldn't see. He was annoyed, not because he had been instructed to be her bodyguard for the next few minutes, but because snow had started to fall and his leg hurt like hell.

Sure enough, a few minutes later Cameron came wandering back; clearly still not quite the full quota as it took her a few moments to remember where House was.

"It's snowing!" She exclaimed as she approached her boss.

"Your powers of observation astound me. Get in the car."

As they sat together, House started the heating but not the engine in his corvette. They remained silent for a moment.

"I love the snow. It's so romantic" She said absentmindedly, staring out of the windscreen as the cars headlights illuminated the falling flakes.

"Great. I thought you said the cool air cleared your head."

"It does, can't I express my thoughts about romantic situations when I'm with my boss? Is it some sort of office taboo?"

He didn't answer, but instead asked:

"So what was so special that you had to make me stand guard whilst you went to get it?"

She rolled her eyes at him and sighed.

"CDs and stuff. They're in my bag now"

"Stuff?"

"Nothing you'd be interested in."

"Everything interests me."

"Not this. And not EVERYTHING interests you."

"Everything about you interests me."

She went silent, slightly taken aback, but he didn't say anything more. He just started up the engine and sped out of the parking lot.

As they approached the turning to her apartment, she came to the realisation that she would need her car tomorrow, pretty early on. House informed her that there was no chance in hell that he would be getting up early to collect her from her apartment AND drive her across town for her to get her car. This was how it came about that Allison Cameron packed a small bag and wound up on the way to Houses townhouse with him. They had decided that she would sleep on the couch, he in the bed, and he could drop her off near Hansen's a little later as he didn't need to make a detour to her apartment first.

Neither understood why they felt uncomfortable. Cameron had spent many a night round at Chases, or vice versa, crashed out on his sofa until late on a Saturday morning. It wasn't like House was a stranger to having a friend on his sofa, either. Both doctors sat having a silent inward debate, that if they were just friends then there was no problem. House couldn't help but think that Wilson would be eating his words right now. This just proved that House could handle his emotions, without resorting to sleeping with the very object of his affections. Showing ten times more self control than his best friend ever did.

He knew she was asleep pretty much as soon as she lay down. Her breathing became far heavier and deeper. He couldn't help but smirk at Steve when he heard her mutter something incoherent in her dreams. He walked through to the living room, and sure enough, the hot cocoa he had made for her had been finished and her toiletries bag and clothes were strewn across the room. He sure wasn't going to pick them up. He looked at her, snuggled under the coverlet, eyes smudged with black makeup which she hadn't completely removed.

_Why the hell does she look so at home? _He thought_. Damn that girl, even I think she looks sweet. Pathetic. What am I going to do now? Go to bed. But, what if she wakes up and pukes? Well, she can clean it up. _

By the time the townhouse was completely silent, the snow was thin on the ground, but rising. Biting cold wind whipped stray icy flakes around the buildings of Princeton, and the sky as a midnight blue. Outside, the weather signified the epitome of winter, but inside the only season the mood could have represented, was spring. A long awaited awakening from a long sleep. Both doctors dreamed of the other.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter twelve- Keeping.

At eleven thirteen on Saturday morning, Allison Cameron's eyes flickered open. The light in her surroundings felt like it burned her eyes, and her head was pounding. She really shouldn't mix her drinks. She really shouldn't drink at all.

She felt awful. Despite the thumping in her head and sore eyes her throat felt raw and dry, her muscles ached and she was extremely nauseous. Her diagnosis was severe hangover induced by a few drinks consumed by an idiotic lightweight.

She groaned, and then clamped her hand over her mouth when she remembered that she was at Houses. _Sh1t! _ She thought frantically _He will have heard that._

Sure enough, mere moments later, her eyes were jolted open again by the sound of porcelain hitting wood. Or a cup of coffee hitting the coffee table.

"Hey sleeping beauty." He said flinging himself to rest next to her feet. When she didn't answer, with the coverlet hiding half her face, he continued probing.

"Cameron"

"Mmph"

He tugged the coverlet down a little.

"Stop!" she laughed a little, before hissing at the painful thump her giggle sent through her skull.

"Well, you're a blast this morning."

She raised her eyebrows and smiled a little weakly as she slid into a sitting position with her back resting on the arm rest legs tucked up a little, and reaching out for her coffee. After a moment, she felt able to talk again.

"I guess I look like crap"

"Uh, Cameron, having someone like you wake up in my house, really I'm not going to judge minor things like the fact your hair is all mussed up."

She touched at her hair self consciously then, but she still smiled at how nice he was being to her. It was so unlike him. He added:

"It snowed" He nodded towards the window. When Cameron looked, sure enough there was a sheet of white on the branches of the trees she could see.

"It's warm in here." She trailed off. "I don't have to go just yet, right?"

"Sure." He was pretty surprised she had asked. Maybe it was because the weather was bad. Who was he kidding?

Twenty five minutes later and the two were sitting side by side on Houses sofa. They had just finished eating toast which Cameron had made. House had hovered around, with endless comments about not making herself at home. She wondered just why he was so worried about that.

"Cameron"

"Uh-huh"

"You know the Christmas party?"

"Yeah"

"Do you wanna-" He stopped, and looked at the floor, face screwed up the way it does when he's trying to say something he's uncomfortable about.

"Wanna?" She prompted, nudging his shoulder gently.

"Come with me." He looked in completely the opposite direction to Cameron then. It took what seemed like hours before she said:

"Like a date?"

"Exactly-" he was about to brush it off with a 'without the date part', but Wilson's last dime comment came into his mind. Instead of his usual end comment he just repeated himself:

"Exactly"

She smiled at him, and placed a small hand on his arm:

"I'd love to, House"

Their eyes met for a moment. He reached a hand up and brushed a stray bang out of Cameron's eyes. At this action, Cameron tilted her head slightly and began to lean in towards her boss. To his own astonishment, he leant in towards her, too. Just as their lips were millimetres apart, his home phone rang.

Cameron jolted back like she had been given an electric shock, and House threw his head back in exasperation, saying as he reached for the phone:

"Thought that only happened in the movies."

After his discussion with Wilson on the phone, Cameron had become embarrassed at the situation, and was quiet as he dropped her off to her car. As soon as she was gone he cursed under his breath. He should have just kissed the woman!

As she sat in her car, and turned her CD up to full volume, she cursed under her breath. What was she thinking? She should have just kissed him, not leaned in gently. He probably liked a more confident approach.

She reached 3600 Chestnut Avenue on time. She approached the neat house and knocked on the door. A moment later the door was answered by Cuddy. It seemed that the older woman was still stressed even at home. She gestured for Cameron to come in and she gingerly complied, sitting on the edge of the white sofa in the bright living room. It was definitely Cuddys' home, there were throw cushions on the sofas and large vases filled with lilies and roses with a coffee table in the centre of the room which held a lower self. Cameron noticed the shelf was full of magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Vogue which seemed as though they had never been read. Strange, Cuddy always managed to look amazing despite the fact she had no time for magazines.

From what Cameron could gather of the conversation, Cuddy was giving her secretary instructions for the nurses over the phone. About five minutes later, Cuddy entered the room.

"Sorry about that. Could I get you a drink? I have tea, coffee, uh, water?"

"I'll have a cup of hot tea if you have it."

"Sure, make yourself at home" Cuddy seemed somewhat nervous.

"Don't worry, I'll come keep you company" Cameron smiled.

As they stood in the kitchen, Cameron noticed for the first time what her employer was wearing. A turtle neck black wool jumper, with pearls of course, and grey suit trousers. She really didn't ever stop, thought Cameron, who was wearing jeans from the previous night with a cute trendy jumper she loved and a tailored coat. The two of them made polite conversation for a while before Cameron piped up.

"You know House?"

"Too well"

Cameron went quiet for a little while.

"Do you think he likes me?"

"Yes"

"Yes?!" Cameron's eyes were wide and her tone was a mix of happiness and surprise. She somehow felt that her discussion with House this morning hadn't happened, and she needed reassurance. Cuddy was smiling at her so the young woman cleared her throat, swallowed and asked again, in a more subtle tone "Yes?"

"Since you first worked at the hospital" Cuddy was laughing at Cameron's expression. "He wasn't even going to hire a woman for a fellowship" At Cameron's shocked expression; Cuddy continued "I know, I know, not a misogynist. But he thought women were too much of a distraction. He pretended like he hired you because I told him he shouldn't use sex as a determining factor in the hiring process. I knew he was lying."

Cameron was silent, looking into her cup of hot tea.

"What should I do?"

"You still like him?"

Despite themselves the two women were becoming like confidants for the other. And both felt comfortable doing it.

"Yes" Cameron said it so quietly that Cuddy barely heard her.

"Then" Cuddy touched Cameron's arm "Do nothing."

"What?"

"Let him come to you."

"He… sort of did. But, now I don't know."

"Mixed signals?"

"Not exactly. But, he's so… delicate."

Cuddy was certainly not astounded at the immunologists' choice of words, she knew exactly what Cameron meant.

"So are you. You'll be ok. Just let him take his time."

"Ok".

The rest of the women's day was spent in the mall. Cuddy bought her dress, and the two behaved like old friends, laughing and gossiping. Cuddy and Cameron actually let go and were just themselves for a little while. Saying this was a relief would be an understatement. By the end of the day, both had discovered that the other would make a good friend, and both women felt as though they had been close to the other for longer than they could remember. They truly enjoyed themselves, and agreed to do the same again as soon as possible.

However, despite the most serious thing on Cameron's mind that day being what color clutch to buy, across town in his living room, House was deep in thought. He knew he wanted to be with Cameron, but the risks of a relationship with someone completely new were a concern to him. It had been so long since Stacey, and she had let him down so much, so hard, so fast. He couldn't bear it if that happened again. But Cameron was Cameron. Not Stacey. And she was delicate. She wore her heart on her sleeve. He was more likely to hurt her than the other way around. And that was worse. Far worse. But he was stronger than that. He could follow his heart. He would get her. And he would keep her. Even if it killed him.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter thirteen- the frenzy.

Sunday came and went like it was passing through Princeton on the breeze. Monday arrived and so, it appeared, had the Christmas frenzy. It always surprised House how people somehow only realised the date a week before Christmas, and why this made everyone panic. This generalisation stretched out to his best friend, Dr James Wilson.

"Who's Lucy? Some chick I don't know about?" House questioned

"Well, I showed you her photograph when she was born."

"That wrinkly thing?"

"My niece."

"Same difference"

"Well, she's not wrinkly now she's four. And I need to get her something more. I got her that doll she wanted, what do little girls like?" Wilson sighed

"Uh, ask Cameron."

"I will, you know."

"Anything to shut you up"

They were sitting in an exam room watching General Hospital on Houses portable TV.

"And Clara." Wilson continued, undeterred

"Who the hell is Clara?"

"My sister in law."

"Oh. She hot?"

"House! No!"

"Get her something practical then. Oven gloves."

"You're not helping."

"Ask Cameron."

"I will, I could take her out for something to eat. Heck, I could take her with me when I go to my brothers for Hanukah-Christmas dinner."

"Don't you dare"

"What? Clara's Christian, Seth is Jewish. I get to celebrate both holidays, and I won't convert Cameron."

"I'm not worried about you converting her."

"Worried I'm going to steal her away before you get the chance to make your declaration of undying-"

"Shut up" House interrupted.

Wilson maintained a straight face, but on the inside, he was beaming.

Up in the conference room, Cameron had begun another batch of coffee. It was warm in the differential diagnosis room, but it seemed that the outside weather had not yet quite left her or her fellow doctors. She had arrived earlier than usual to put out the bowl of candy canes on the glass table, and stockings around the kitchenette. She had amused Chase greatly when she pointed out the fact that she had been out and bought some red letter stickers, and on each stocking was a different duckling's name. There was even one for House. She didn't mention that she had only done this to take her mind off the realisation that just maybe House liked her back. Cameron had made herself laugh when she sneaked into her boss's office and decorated his TV and computer with tinsel and holly sprigs. She reckoned it would take no less than ten seconds for him to start whining indignantly. If, of course, he didn't notice first that she had hidden two of the board pens so he could only write with red or green, then it would take less than five seconds.

She was now standing with a mug of coffee in her hand, leaning against the counter. She had zoned out of the others discussion and was watching the snow falling. She was looking forward to the Christmas party Wednesday night, but she was having mixed emotions about the break she would have afterwards. She liked the fact that she came to work and had people to talk to, and in a way she would have liked to be working this Christmas, not just on call. She was in on Christmas Eve. Cameron considered that she would be back on Boxing Day, but it didn't feel the same. She sadly thought that everyone else would have someone to spend time with this Christmas. Except her. She wondered who would be working on Christmas day and thought that ironically these people probably had families they would be leaving at home.

"Cameron the Christmas fairy!" Exclaimed House as he walked through the door which adjoined his office to the room next to it.

It jolted her from her thoughts, but she couldn't help but laugh:

"I thought you'd appreciate it."

"No new patients" Foreman cut in, ever the sensible one.

"Then I'll be in my office, the one twinkling with happiness and light." He turned, and threw words over his shoulder: "C'mon Cameron"

All three ducklings raised their eyebrows, each as surprised as the last. But Cameron followed him into his office, closing the aforementioned adjoining door behind her, much to Chase's irritation.

"Wednesday night. I'll pick you up at six. Be ready."

"Ok."

"I'm pretty surprised you haven't told Foreman and Chase already."

"I didn't feel it necessary. The opportunity didn't come up"

"Don't let it"

"Why?" She said it in that tone of certainty and determination that always took him aback.

"Because…" He trailed off, turning his chair around to look out the window.

"I know Foreman talked to you." She kept her tone light, but saw that her boss's hands tighten around his cane. Perfectly expressing the annoyance she had felt when Chase had told her what Foreman was so proud of achieving. "Before our date."

"Oh. That wasn't why I-"

"Said what you said?"

"Exactly."

"Ok." She took a deep breath "Do you still believe it?"

"Yes."

"Right. Well, I'll see you later. I'm just headed down to Cuddy's office" The non aggressive, non accusatory tone with which she spoke relieved him. Had this been Stacey, he would be grovelling for days, with no one to go to the party with. Cameron seemed to accept him as he was, even when he apparently couldn't do the same for her.

----

"I really don't have anything!" Sighed Cuddy, looking through medical files.

"There must be. Something to keep us entertained for half an hour?"

Cameron was in her new friend's office, trying to find a new patient for her team, to no avail.

It so came about that the rest of the day was spent trying to find a diagnosis for Mariah Jacobs. It was found relatively quickly and easily. It helped that quite some time ago they had dealt with an almost identical case, and so luckily for Ms Jacobs, she would be just fine.


	14. Chapter 14

Ok, so I know you're all desperate for the party dress... not long to wait... but there is still a wait! Sorry about that, but suspense is always good.

Chapter fourteen- Bad Day

There is nothing worse than a cold Tuesday, other than a cold Monday. And when you have both, one directly after another, the weather is bound to encroach upon your mood, no matter how sunny in nature it usually is.

She was late for work. This morning she had woken up late, due to a faulty alarm clock, still exhausted because during the night, a car alarm had gone off right outside her bedroom window. Not only had she swore far too loudly for her own liking on realising the time when she woke up, she had tripped over her laptop case and almost went flying. She had then dropped the remaining milk from the refrigerator onto the floor when she had noticed the date: 19th of December. Her dead husband's birthday and she had nearly forgotten. She was almost relieved when she remembered she only put flowers on his grave on his death anniversary, then felt awful for feeling like that. After clearing up the milk she had rushed out the front door and promptly skidded over on a patch of ice. Tumbling into her car, she realised as the cold left her in return for dry heat, that she really had hurt her ankle quite badly. She winced every time she put the brake on in the car, or hit the gas. Locking up her Lexus, she noticed to her even greater annoyance that she had a hole in the sleeve of her lovely gray sweater. Even for Allison Cameron, this was too much. She felt sick with frustration at how nothing was going right today, and after storming through the lobby with a face of thunder, she actually felt tears gather at the back of her eyes when she saw in her pocket mirror that her hair was a mess, too. Even when Wilson thanked her for her help the day before in deciding suitable Christmas gifts for various relatives, it did not lighten her attitude any more.

---

"You ok, Cameron?" Cameron's usual happy response to her friend Chase was replaced by a biting:

"Do I LOOK ok!" Through gritted teeth.

"Only asking!" said Chase, somewhat defensive.

"Well don't."

She spun away from the two doctors who were eyeing her suspiciously, and bit down on her lip, again feeling the sting of saltwater. She put on the coffee machine, before turning back round and collapsing into the chair next to her co workers.

"Sorry, Chase. Not a good day." She said shakily, head in hands.

"That's ok, wanna talk about it?"

"You want me crying?"

"Not really-"

"Then don't get me to talk about it." She had a sad little laugh in her voice as she said this.

It was left at that, and the three colleagues continued as usual. When House entered the conference room, he couldn't help but notice that Cameron was not looking on top form today. And when she went to get him his coffee, she flinched. Maybe she was sick?

House decided that, as usual, he wouldn't be kept in the dark about whatever was wrong with Cameron. The others were behaving as normal so he figured she'd told them what was on her mind. Maybe it was him? He shook that thought off as fast as it had come. He instructed Foreman and Chase a huge list of tasks to complete and so dismissing them for at least a day. If not longer. By the time they had strutted out of the room, Cameron was sitting back down, staring into her coffee cup.

"Quit mooning around, Cameron." He said, because he had to skirt around the true question 'are you ok?'

Her head jerked up then. It was the last straw. She was so angry. Angry at him. Angry because she had no one else to be angry at and she would push him away. Angry, most of all, that he cared.

"Mooning around?" she asked incredulously, her voice low and steady. Her eyes were glazed over in a way he had never seen before, and he didn't like. She continued:

"Don't even go there House." She stood up and walked until she was inches away, keeping her tone at its low level "Don't even try to work out what's wrong with me because you have no idea! Don't treat me like a puzzle because I'm not. I'm a person with real emotions and real feelings. And today, I'm pissed off. Not because of you, or anything to do with you. I'm just pissed, ok? I get that way sometimes, even though no one would believe it. I'm not some goddamned angel and I'm not always perfect. Far from it. And today, just once I'd like it if you could accept that. Accept me. Like I accepted you."

Her breathing was rapid and quiet. The silence in the office was deafening. Inside, he was cheering. Cheering because, for nearly three years he had wanted her to do this. Have a bad day and tell him quite plainly that it was none of his business. He figured she never did because she wanted him. Turns out she wasn't afraid of the loss of him anymore. He thought she would tiptoe around, trying to engrain herself into his heart, trying to be perfect. But she was being honest. She really didn't want him to know. He was falling for her even more.

"Let me take a look at your ankle, then." He had noticed she was having trouble with it as she walked towards him.

She let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

---

Exam room two was silent as she pressed an ice pack to her ankle. He was staring at her, chin resting on cane. She looked up and noticing his staring, said:

"If I didn't know you better, that would creep me out"

"But you do know me better."

"Yeah, I guess." She sighed "Sorry about before. It's just; I'm having a bad day. I shouldn't have got bitchy at you. It's not your fault."

"That's ok. I kinda like it when you get bitchy. Makes you seem, human. Always good to know I didn't hire a robot."

"Yeah" She smiled but there was still sadness in her voice.

"How's the ankle?"

"Better, thanks."

"Slacking?"

"I'd love to."


	15. Chapter 15

Anyways.. just ONE more chapter before the party, and here it is. I thought poor Cammy's bad day could perhaps be used for her to expand her friendship with Cuddy, just because I can. But yeah, so review this one and then you get to read about the party! smiles evilly over her bribary

Chapter fifteen- Tears.

Slacking was, as usual, good fun. And despite herself, Cameron even smiled once or twice House really must have known something was wrong, because he even did his own clinic hours. All he asked her to do was some charting. Cameron's day didn't get any better, and it turned out that for once House was the one stopping her from going insane, rather than pushing her further towards the brink. He wasn't nice, and she hadn't expected him to be, but he certainly made her feel better. Even just a little bit.

House left the hospital at two thirty. He told Cameron and Wilson separately to make an excuse if Cuddy came 'swooping'.

Cameron reached Cuddy's office at three thirty four exactly. It was already dark outside, she noticed. She made her way inside quietly as she saw that Cuddy was on the phone. Luckily, Cuddy's tones were lower, calmer, and slower than usual. As had been the general rule for behaviour and speech alike in the hospital today. She had come to tell Cuddy that her stress migraine seemed to have made a visit, and she had taken something, but if it was still bad tomorrow it perhaps would be best if she came in later, or not at all.

"How's your day been Cameron?"

"Ha!" Cameron laughed out loud "Not great" The sarcastic smile that had been on her face moments before disappeared, and Cuddy automatically pushed a box of Kleenex in front of the young woman.

"What did he do this time?" Asked Cuddy.

"It wasn't House" Cameron's voice was shaking now and it was clear to the older doctor that in about ten seconds, her young friend would burst into tears. Cuddy had, on many occasions, been the one in Cameron's place, but with no friendly face handing her tissues.

"Bad day?"

"You have no idea" Cameron was trying to keep from crying because, it wasn't that bad. Just a few unfortunate occurrences on a day where Cameron would preferably have just shut off from the world and thought about _his_ last birthday.

"Want to talk about it?"

Cameron , despite feeling like she was about to break down, kept her voice as steady as possible when she told Cuddy about the migraine, and Cuddy agreed to her idea of the day of if one returned in the morning. Cameron stopped after that, and went quiet. Cuddy could tell that she was walling up, and it must have been some kind of maternal instinct which made her get up from her seat, perch on the desk directly next to Cameron, touch her arm and say:

"But that's not all, is it."

"I was a total b1tch to House!" And, predicted by Cuddy, the tears began to fall. "And he'd not even done anything wrong!" Cameron clamped a hand over her mouth to stop sounding so pathetic in front of her boss, but one look at Cuddy showed that her boss really didn't mind, so she carried on: "I got-up-late-this-morning-and-"

In one movement Cuddy practically lifted Cameron out of her seat, and mentally told professionalism to go to he11. She had never seen Cameron really upset like this, and she pulled her into a hug like they had been friends for years:

"Go on"

"I fell on ice, like a moron." Cameron half laughed half sobbed this out "And my ankle's killing me. And House knows about it and he was so nice even though I was unbearably snappy." She took a deep breath, and realised for the first time how Cuddy was hugging her. It made Cameron want to cry more because she had so missed being able to cry on someone's shoulder.

"And I have a hole in this sweater. I love this sweater."

Cuddy couldn't help but laugh as the list got longer, and before long they were both laughing as the list went on "And I spilt the milk. AND I'm having a bad hair day."

She took another deep breath, half laughing but still shaky from the crying fit she had just had.

"Better?" Cuddy giggled as she released Cameron from her embrace.

"Much." Cameron wiped her eyes with her hand "Thank you"

"You're welcome. We all have bad days."

"Well next time you have one, come up to the pathology lab and you can sob all over me and ruin my shirt."

"It's a date."

Cameron went back to the differential diagnosis room and placed two small gifts on the conference table. She was too good to those guys, but she couldn't help it. Cuddy and Cameron had bought one another small gifts when they were out shopping together on Saturday. It ruined the element of surprise, but also guaranteed the other person would like what they received. Before she left the hospital, she left Wilson's gift on his office desk. She would give House his gift tomorrow night.

Wednesday morning came, and with it a new fall of snow and an impossibility to get out of Cameron's building. She spent twenty minutes explaining to Cuddy over the phone. It probably took this long because for half that time Cuddy was asking Cameron's advice about Houses current behaviour. It turned out that Foreman couldn't make it in either, nor could Wilson, and Cuddy was stressed beyond belief.

The passing of the day went much quicker than Cameron would have predicted. She didn't hear from any of her colleagues at the hospital, and so she enjoyed her time alone. She was both nervous and excited about her upcoming date with House.

Over at PPTH, House was irritated. He had one duckling. ONE. And it was CHASE. Not his first choice. And then, Cuddy had to come into his office.

"House."

"Oh, do come in! Sorry I didn't hear you knock." He said sarcastically.

"Because I didn't. I'm letting you off clinic."

House did a double take, and actually smiled:

"What?"

"Consider it a Christmas gift."

"I'm not sleeping with you."

"Thank God"

"You want something"

"Come to think of it-"

"Oh, here we go." He contorted his face in anticipation.

"Cameron. Be good to her." He stared at her silently "It's not in your nature and you probably won't listen to me, but just try with her."

"O-kay"

"I'm guessing you're going to be cruel now. But she likes you. And she doesn't deserve to be treated like crap, ok?"

"I know." He said, quietly.

Cuddy made it five feet from his office before bursting into a smile that illuminated the whole corridor, and upon reaching her office she clicked in speed dial 5 to her phone:

"It's on."

"Well done Lisa."

"Your idea, James"


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen- About time.

The corvette swung into the parking lot at six o'clock with ease. Ten minutes before, a snow plough had cleared a path, much to Cameron's relief. She was standing looking at her reflection, panicking.

She was wearing a halter neck black dress. It was tight fitting and flattering all at once, and the skirt ended about an inch above her knee. It was chiffon and gathered down the front. Did she look too dressed up? It was too late to change now, she thought. Her black and diamante sandal heels were suggested by Cuddy, and Cameron considered that she had spent far too much on the outfit. Her hair fell down her back in their natural waves and curls, and she noticed that the clutch bag she was holding was being gripped far tighter than she first thought in a shaking hand.

It was just then that a bang on the door jolted her out of her thoughts with a start. She struggled to undo the door because she was worrying, but finally it swung open.

House was standing there, and dropped his cane down to its usual resting place. He was wearing a tux suit with a red shirt underneath (which Cameron gleefully noticed had the top couple of buttons undone). She practically fainted when the realisation of what she was doing hit her. She and House were going out. Together. On a date. To a party! She grinned at him as he clearly checked her out before saying:

"Nice"

"You too."

"Your dad doesn't want you home before nine or anything."

"Let me go ask him." They smiled at each other before she locked up her apartment.

They made their way down the corridor and outside. House was silently grateful that Cameron's apartment had an elevator. It was only on the first floor but even so he didn't think he would have been able to make it up or down stairs without having to make a fool out of himself at least once.

When they stepped outside, the cold air made her shiver and wrap her arms around herself. He noticed this and groaned:

"Oh God"

"What?"

"You want me to do something chivalrous now, like put my coat around your shoulders."

"No" She giggled "I'm certainly not expecting you to be romantic."

They carried on walking.

"But you're cold" He stated as they made their way carefully through the parking lot so as to not step in snow.

"Well, yeah. You've got a tux; I've got a useless piece of chiffon to keep me warm."

"Should have brought a coat."

"Way to state the obvious".

As she had done before, outside Hansen's, Cameron linked arms with House and snuggled into him. Feeling him tense she defended.

"I'm cold!"

"Sure, whatever."

"I am!" She laughed at his expression which read that he thought she just needed an excuse of contact with him.

The corvette was warm, which was a relief. She had never been in his car sober or not hung over before, and for the first few minutes she was behaving like an over excited baby chimp. At least, that was how he had described it.

"Ooh! I never noticed the CD collection."

"Cameron, shall we get going?"

"Just a minute! The Who! The Doors! I love your music collection. It's all so vintage!"

"'It's all so _vintage?'_" He mocked.

"I love it!"

"Great, can we go?"

"Wait! Oh my gosh! Is this to connect your i-pod?"

"No. That's to administer Vicodin directly into my blood stream" He said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"There's no need to get snippy" They both chuckled as she used one of his own lines back at him.

A few minutes later they were on the road, chatting away to one another.

"No calling me Greggie, Baby, Honey, Cutie. This may technically be date number three but that's no excuse."

She had been laughing at his pet name suggestions and stopped abruptly:

"Number three? There was 'the' date, this one, I didn't think going to a patients house counts"

"It doesn't" She was looking over at him, confused, and he added turning back to concentrate on the road "the monster trucks."

"You said that wasn't a date."

"I lied"

She smiled widely and put her hand over his on the gear stick, before saying gently:

"Everybody lies"

A while later when the moment had passed she said, looking out of the window:

"So what am I allowed to call you? Other than House"

"Stud"

"Oh my God" She chuckled.

"Call me whatever you want to call me. You're not introducing me as your boyfriend though."

"That's fine by me, so long as you don't introduce me as your hooker."

"You prefer 'call girl'?"

This earned him a playful slap on the arm from Cameron.

"So what are you going to call me? Seriously?" She looked over at him with those ridiculously large eyes she had.

"Cameron. Or Doctor Cameron."

"Right" She went silent for a moment.

"Or Allison"

"Really?"

"No. I'm stuck in my ways. But I'll introduce you as Allison."

"Really?"

"Sure."

They reached the hospital soon after. Once he was parked up, she asked him with a deep breath:

"You ready?"

"Uh-huh"

He wasn't looking at her now, and she could tell that he was lying.

"We don't have to do this, if it's too much, we don't have to be here, if it's too soon-"

"No" He interrupted. "I just should have done this a long time ago."

"You're doing it now."

He stayed quiet for what seemed like an eternity:

"Yes. I'm ready."

The two stepped out of the corvette, and taking Houses arm, Cameron allowed him to lead her to the hospital.


	17. Chapter 17

YAY! Chapter 17! Please please review!!!

Chapter 17- The party (1)- Defence.

The room was lowly lit. It was the room which was specifically used for events such as these. A wide open space with a bar and tables scattered around. The current layout consisted of aforementioned tables dotted around, one for each department, a dance floor (House noticed uneasily), and a bar (Cameron was pleased House would be happy about something.) Swarming around, generally in pairs or alone were the people. The worst part, House thought bitterly. These people were introducing themselves and partners, shaking hands or hugging depending on the closeness of relationships.

House cleared his throat nervously. Cameron sensed his unease and squeezed his arm gently. It was not long before they were mobbed.

The man was short and balding, with a waistline as wide as he was tall. Slinking along next to him was a woman a little smaller than Cameron (not that you could tell, her five inch heels made sure she could look down her nose at just about anyone), with peroxide blonde hair down to her waist in a pink cocktail dress. She was at best thirty, and if Cameron were to place a bet on the mans age she would put him at sixty five.

Cameron had heard Houses 'oh god' muttered at the couples descent, but she had squeezed his arm again to remind him that this year, she was with him.

"If it isn't Gregory House! How are you?" The man didn't wait for an answer. "This is Roxanna" He proudly presented the blonde like she was his prize winning husky. "We've been together a little under eleven months now, got married in fall, didn't we?"

"Yes." The blonde said, before continuing in a strong southern accent: "Roxanna Walker-Strong." She extended her hand out to House, who shook it much to Cameron's surprise.

"Gregory House. This is Allison. Cameron." Cameron smiled up at him before shaking both of the people's hands. "Allison this is Frederick Walker, he's a leading ophthalmologic surgeon"

"Nice to meet you" Cameron said politely.

"And you. I used to work here at the hospital, but I only come in occasionally now."

"Oh, right."

"So, Greg" Said the man, "Back on the scene I see" He nodded at the immunologist like she wasn't present.

"Uh, yeah"

Cameron resisted the urge to squeal.

"Well, congratulations." He leaned in a little towards House and, without lowering his voice, nudged House with his elbow saying "well done, if you know what I mean."

Cameron could practically feel House start to go tense with anger at the fact this guy was talking about her like she was some kind of trophy, not a medic in her own right. To be fair, he had no idea, but she knew House was about to say something unbearably sour so she cut in, to save him from himself.

"So, Roxanna" she addressed the young blonde "What do you do?"

"Do?" The girl asked vacantly.

"For a living" _Good Lord_ thought Cameron _this is going to take a while._

"I don't!" She laughed, an ingratiating, ugly laugh "But I modelled lingerie before I got pregnant."

"Oh! You have children?" Cameron restrained herself from laughing when House had cringed at Roxanna's laugh, and she carried on being polite.

"Just one, he's still tiny. Piers Frederick Tristan Walker-Strong."

Houses face again made Cameron want to collapse with laughter, but she again managed to hold it in.

"Lovely name"

"So, you work?" The man seemed somewhat surprised, and spoke as if Cameron only possessed two brain cells.

"Yes, I'm an immunologist here."

"Oh!" This seemed to take the man aback even more. "And how long have you been seeing Greg?"

"Um, well, uh-"

"On and off for about two years now." House cut in. Cameron was speechless. Inside, she was doing a crazy happy dance. She felt slightly tipsy even though she had not yet had anything to drink. Even though she knew he was just saving himself from saying 'this is our third date'.

"You sure kept this quiet, Greg!" He slapped House on the back, an action which House detested.

The next few minutes the increasingly annoying couple made conversation about their latest trip to St Tropez. Cameron couldn't help but feel relieved when they wandered off again. She let out a sigh of relief.

"Glad that's over?" Asked House.

"Kind of, yeah" She laughed a bit.

"Look around. We have that twenty times over before the nights out."

She let her eyes wander the room then. And sure enough, the place was full of couples strikingly similar to the one they had just been talking to. There were other couples of course, the kind who had been happily married for twenty years. House informed Cameron that no matter what, they were all guaranteed to be annoying. She didn't mention his 'two years' statement and neither did he. They just headed straight for the bar as House had said:

"The party is more bearable when you have a stiff drink to take the edge off".

_Twenty minutes in. Is that all? Surely not. Yep, twenty minutes in. Please, God, just let this go quicker. Just let me get back to Cameron's place and… NO! Its ok let the party run on and on._

_Why is he looking at his watch? Am I that dull? No, he's just uncomfortable in situations like these. Oh, God, what's going to happen later? When he takes me home, what should I do? What should I say to him? I sure hope time doesn't decide to race through the party to the awkward bit. _

When Wilson entered the party, he inwardly debated whether or not to go over to his friend. House and Cameron were at the bar together, and they looked remarkably comfortable. It was like the past five years, and Stacey, had never happened. House looked happy with Cameron. Truly happy. But Wilson decided to go over anyway, it was a choice between that and looking like a loner (Miranda had pretty much expressed she was no longer interested).

"Hey, guys." He greeted

"Hey Wilson, want a drink?" greeted Cameron.

"Sure." He ordered, and a drink was promptly handed over.

"Where's Melinda?" House asked a mocking twang in his voice as he said the name.

"Miranda"

"Yeah"

"Home for Christmas. And New Year. And if she can find a job back there… forever."

"Oh, I'm sorry Wilson" Cameron touched his arm sympathetically.

"It's ok" He sighed "She missed her parents."

"Kids tend to." House snarked.

"House!" Cameron scolded.

It was then that a "Cameron!" was heard and she excused herself, scurrying off towards Foreman and Chase. Each received a warm hug, and Wilson noticed gladly that Cameron had a spring in her step which said quite clearly 'I'm happy!'

"House. Are you proving me wrong?"

"Looks like it"

No more was said on the matter, but all Wilson could think was how excited he was to tell Lisa Cuddy the news.

She was stalking around the room, politely greeting the guests when she saw out the corner of her eye her new found friend, Dr Allison Cameron. It was then that Cuddy made a bee-line for the party of three who were seated at the bar.

"Allison!"

"Lisa!" Cameron was pleased to see Cuddy, and to be able to use her first name (which they had started to do when shopping, but couldn't when at work). Cameron hopped down from her seat and gave a brief hug to Cuddy, who looked stunning in a knee length, v-neck, red satin dress with a festive fur shrug around her shoulders.

"You look amazing!" Said Cuddy

"Well, you look phenomenal! Red really is your color!"

On turning back, the younger woman noticed her dates face was screwed up in a mock disgust at the women's sisterhood like greeting.

The meal was, of course, delicious. Despite this, House moaned about anything he could. Everyone knew that was only because he hated social situations such as these, but no one commented.

After the plates and cutlery had been cleared away by the hired staff, Cuddy started her usual speech.

"First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for coming tonight" House rolled his eyes and stared into his wine glass miserably.

"I'd just like to say, thank you to all the doctors, nurses and staff of the hospital, who make Princeton Plainsboro the perfectly functioning hospital it is. I'd also like to take some time to thank, in their absence, the people who are staffing the hospital as I speak. They're the ones who drew the short straws"

Laughter bubbled through the room, except in the case of House, who simply began inspecting the ceiling with an exasperated expression on his face.

"I'd also than all the benefactors to PPTH who have come to the party to better connect with it's staff. Your donations really do benefit us, so thank you so much! Really all I wanted to say was I hope you're enjoying your evening so far, I know I am. We have dancing in a few minutes. I was worried that it was a cliché, but a good friend of mine informed me that this wasn't the case."

Cuddy grinned over in Cameron's direction, and the young doctor smiled back. House, knowing said good friend was Cameron whispered 'that friend was an idiot' earning him raised eyebrows from his date.

"So, basically, enjoy the rest of the evening, thank you for coming, and have a very happy Christmas and New Year."

Everyone clapped, except House who simply muttered:

"Thank God."

Dancing started about ten minutes later. Wilson and House had resumed their posts at the bar. Cameron was returning from the ladies bathroom when she was ambushed.

The man came towards her so fast she didn't even realise what was happening until she was practically pinned by the bar. She could see her friends out of the corner of her right eye, but this man was holding her with his gaze. There was something threatening about him.

"Don't I know you?" Was his greeting.

"Uh, no, don't think so." At this stage her voice was still light, and polite.

"I'm sure I do. What's your name? What do you do?"

"Um, I work here. Dr Cameron." She briefly shook the mans clammy hand.

It was at this point she realised he was stockily built, with broad shoulders. He wasn't attractive but had an aggressive glint in his eye, and she hated the way he was looking at her, practically licking his lips.

"Mike. My father is a benefactor. Around here somewhere." He laughed, but it was more like a snarl and he stepped a little closer to her.

"Oh, right." She wished she was closer to House and Wilson, She was still in the relative darkness close to the toilets, and her heartbeat was more rapid. She felt intimidated.

"What's your first name?"

"Allison" He stepped even closer then, and touched her arm, making her feel sick. Looking around, no one could see her.

"Allison?"

She swallowed "Yes."

"Let's go someplace else shall we?"

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea, I best get back."

She tried to step away, but he grabbed onto her arm much harder than he should have.

"Hey!" She protested,

"Got anyone to go back for?" He sneered. She was really starting to panic now.

"Yeah, she has." Houses voice cut through the tense situation. She looked up at her boss, and his hackles were clearly up. She noticed gleefully that House towered over the nasty man who had, just moments ago, seemed a threat to her, but now just seemed insignificant.

"Go home, creep. Or to some cheap bar. If you're lucky, you might be able to pay someone to hold your hand. Nothing more though, everyone has standards."

With this, House held onto Cameron's hand and pulled her gently after him. She was smiling now but still slightly shaky.

"Thank you."

"You looked like a bunny in headlights back there." He dropped her hand.

"I felt like it" She looped her arm through his.

"Yeah, well. Anyone touches you again; kick 'em in the groin."

She laughed: "I will"

As House and Cameron stopped to talk to Chase and latest flame, Cuddy scuttled over to Wilson.

"Dance?"

"Sure." As the two friends made their way to the dance floor, neither commented that they were pleased to be doing this, that they had wanted to for so long. As he pulled her closer to him he said:

"its working. He adores her."

"I know, and she adores him. God knows why."

"They are… perfect for one another" He spun Cuddy round to observe the couple.

"Absolutely" She grinned as she turned back to her dance partner.

"Some creep approached Cameron, you know. House was like an over protective bear."

"Well, I had noticed she looked uncomfortable. He was annoying some of the nurses earlier. I got security onto it before I came to dance with you. He'll be gone in the next few minutes."

"Good, he looked a little odd."

The two continued dancing and they enjoyed it. They split once the song was over, but both missed the contact of the other.


	18. Chapter 18

Ok, I'm so sorry it's been far too long for an update!! Anyway, I got the worst case of writers block in the history of man... but I'm back... enjoy the chap and I'm so sorry for the wait (accept my apologies and House/Cameron squee moments!!)

Chapter 18- The party (2)- Intrusions

"Oh, gosh, have a great time! Call me! Merry Christmas." Cameron said as she hugged Foreman. It was eleven o'clock, and the neurologist was leaving the party.

"Merry Christmas Cameron. Wilson!" He got the oncologists attention "Have a good one! And you, House… not that you will, on principle."

"Right." Was House's response.

"Merry Christmas, Foreman" Said Wilson. As the young doctor disappeared, Wilson turned to his best friend:

"You know, you could TRY to be happy this Christmas."

"I won't try NOT to be."

"You know what I'm saying, House" Wilson gave a knowing look to his friend, who typically just rolled his eyes.

It was then that Cuddy returned to the three:

"Allison, I haven't seen you on the dance floor, yet"

"Because I haven't been on the dance floor!" She laughed

"Well, come on then" Cuddy took Cameron by the hand and led her away to the crowded area in the middle of the room. They made it just as a remix of Madonna's song Music started. Most of the staff were dancing now, especially the younger staff members. For example, Chase was doing an excellent impression of a teenager with his girlfriend, who he was making out with whilst making an attempt at dancing. More like swaying every now and again. Cuddy nodded towards them to Cameron, who smiled and rolled her eyes. _I must have been REALLY high,_ thought Cameron.

The Dean of Medicine and Immunologist were by far the most attractive women on the dance floor, and as they danced they certainly commanded attention from the men in the room. Especially two of the men, who were watching in silence now, subtlety be dammed. Cuddy and Cameron were having a blast, and they danced right through into D12's my band, a song which usually would have been detested by the two, had they not been under the influence of champagne, Christmas spirit, and Wilson or House (who had a much stronger effect than any alcohol ever could).

Both women were purposefully dancing in a way that Wilson and House were bound to notice, and enjoy. They did. Very much.

House loved the way that Cameron was laughing as she messed around on the dance floor with Cuddy, doing crazy little steps which reminded him of a little kid watching MTV, thinking she was Beyonce. Occasionally she would look over at him and smile, sometimes subconsciously, but he returned the smile and she carried on. She was beautiful.

"In a moment" said the DJ "I'm gonna play a song for all the couples in the room" He waited for some kind of audience response, but getting none continued "So if you've been waiting to do this all year, here's the opportunity. Go get your partners, people"

Cuddy and Cameron looked at each other, and they didn't need to communicate vocally to know what they were going to do. Cameron let go of Cuddy's hands (which she had been holding during the dancing) and waked over to House.

House realised that Cameron and Cuddy must have been dancing for a good forty five minutes. He started to worry when he heard the DJs little announcement. Then he saw Cameron coming over to him, and Wilson, damn him, got up and walked away, leaving them on their own.

"I'm not expecting you to dance with me. I just thought I'd say, I've been waiting to do this for well over a year." Her words and the confidence with which they were spoken surprised him, but did she really not believe he would dance with her? He could dance, he just refused to. But the resigned way she sat down next to him and watched as the rest of the room paired up, even Cuddy and Wilson, made him feel guilty, and predictable. The one thing he didn't want to be anymore.

"C'mon then." He held out a hand across the bar.

"What?"

"Dance with me." He smiled at the shock in her eyes. But it was good shock.

"I'd love to."

As they approached the dance floor hand in hand he was glad to notice that no one was paying them attention. It was a more private experience than he had feared, and as he snaked a hand (with cane) around her waist, and took up her hand with his, he actually felt relieved when her body rested close to his. He had missed this feeling, far more than he expected to. And in that moment he realised just how much he wanted the woman in front of him, and Wilson's last dime didn't matter anymore. He wasn't doing this to prove anyone wrong. Just because, he needed to.

House rolled his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that night as the cliché began: All I want for Christmas is you. He couldn't believe that the rest of the room actually seemed pleased that this was the song chosen, and still slow danced to a song which was faster than they were moving.

During the slower start of the song House even surprised himself by lowering his hand to the base of Cameron's spine. But in typical House fashion, lowering his head to whisper in her ear he said:

"Please don't tell me that the lyrics of the song apply to us because I'll vomit"

She giggled but put her hand on the back of his neck to stop him moving back:

"I won't" she whispered back.

Cuddy and Wilson were dancing together far less intimately than the rest of the couples but Wilson nodded in their friend's direction. What Cuddy saw she found incredibly cute. And she was shocked that the words House and cute would ever relate to one another in her thoughts.

The usually solitary, grumpy, rude diagnostician and his young, kind protégé were dancing together. House had his hand on her lower back and was slightly bent down so he could talk to her. She was laughing at whatever he was whispering to her and her head was now resting on his shoulder, with her arms around his neck. They were so close they might as well be kissing one another, but Cuddy knew they wouldn't. Yet. She turned back to her own dance partner, because THAT was a moment she didn't want to intrude in.


	19. Chapter 19

OK, one request... PLEASE don't bash this chapter! I know, I haven't had any flames yet, but please enjoy it. realises you can't force someone to enjoy something and wails Review review review!!!

Chapter nineteen- Finally.

They left the party at midnight, although neither was tired. Cameron had enjoyed the party (of course) and House had, despite himself, had a good time. As they reached the corvette, they both suddenly realised that they were holding hands, and both immediately let go, embarrassed.

"You driving?" He asked after a moment. It was then that she realised that she was still standing next to him, at the drivers' side of the door, and she laughed at his joke.

"Uh, no. But you're ok to right?"

"You mean, am I drunk? No. I'm fine to drive"

"House?"

"Yeah."

"Nothing." And she went to her side of the car, letting herself in.

The ride to Cameron's place was spent mostly joking about guests at the party and what people had said.

"I still didn't like the way he talked to you." House was serious now, talking about the Walkers.

"It's fine. He assumed I was just some gold digger. He didn't know that I-"

"He shouldn't have assumed. You don't"

"No but-"

"You're perfect."

"No! It doesn't bother me."

"It bothers me."

"Thanks"

"For what?" He was confused

"Being bothered."

They both smiled at one another after this.

As the corvette swung back into the parking lot at Cameron's apartment, she knew what she wanted. She was confident as she asked, slightly testing him:

"Want to come up? For coffee?"

Part of him already had the answer 'not a good idea'. But another part, the non crippled non bitter part said:

"Why not?"

The freezing air meant that Cameron linked arms with House again, but he pulled away completely this time. For a second she felt sick, was he changing his mind? But he wrapped his arm around her:

"Better?" He asked gruffly

"Much" she wanted to kiss him right there, but she equally didn't want to frighten him away.

"So how did you find date number three?" He asked once in the elevator.

"Good. How did you find it?"

"Great. Not as good as date number one, nothing beats monster trucks, but better than date number two. For obvious reasons. So yeah. I liked this date."

"It's not over yet" She said it without thinking, and it had sounded far more promiscuous than she had intended. She felt herself start to blush, but he just said in mock surprise:

"Why doctor Cameron! I do believe you're right" Which relieved her. He was inwardly thrilled at her previous statement. His mind was telling him to slow down and not to scare her away, but his body was starting to tell him that he had spent quite enough time talking to her; it most certainly wasn't prepared to slow down.

Cameron unlocked her apartment door, and let House go in first out of habit. He did so, and as she bolted the door closed behind them, he took in his surroundings. Very nice. But his body was practically screaming at him now, and he simply couldn't concentrate on niceties anymore. He took a deep breath, and turned to face her back as she was still bolting up the door.

"Right-" She started to talk as she turned around only to find him extremely close to her. He stepped towards her and she backed into the door: "House" she whispered breathlessly, he better not be playing games.

"Cameron" He muttered back. He dipped his head down and caught her lips to his in a show stopping kiss.

When they pulled away for air, she was completely out of breath. For a moment, he was worried she was going to stop him in his tracks, but instead she lunged herself at him. His cane fell by their side as his hands moved up to undo the halter neck of her dress. Their lips didn't part as she took off his suit jacket, and began work on the buttons of his shirt.

By the time they had reached her bedroom, he had already done 'the' gasp again when he saw her in just her underwear, and she had planted kisses all down his chest. When she was about to remove his pants, he grabbed her wrist. She knew immediately it was because of his scar, and she whispered 'It's ok' before carrying on. She didn't even acknowledge the scar, she pretended as though there was nothing there. He was grateful, because he wasn't ready to acknowledge it himself yet.

What had started out frantic and impatient slowed briefly as the realisation took over and they fell down onto the bed together. Once said realisation had set in the couple carried on what they were doing with even more haste and passion than before.

Finally.

A low winter sun streamed through her bedroom window, and her eyes began to begrudgingly open. She smiled to herself when she realised she had maintained the position she had fallen asleep in during the night, head on his chest, arm across it. She could also still feel a strong arm wrapped around her back and waist. But the heavy breathing suggested that he was still asleep. She gently manoeuvred so that her head was resting primarily on his shoulder and she could watch him sleep. After about ten minutes he spoke, making her jump:

"Stop going all gooey eyed on me Cameron-"

"My God, you scared me House!" He ignored her and carried on, opening his eyes to look at her.

"-Or I might have to retract any statement I made last night."

She raised an eyebrow and said teasingly:

"The only statements I recall were 'I like that' and 'Mother of God' and 'Oh yes Cameron'."

"I can still retract them."

"I'm sure. But you don't want to."

"Good morning Cameron."

"Good morning House"

With that they leant forward and despite morning breath, kissed briefly on the lips before her head returned to its previous resting place.

"Cameron"

"Mm-hmm" She sighed happily.

"Vicodin"

She moved away from him whilst he reached over the edge of the bed, got the amber bottle from his pants pocket and dry swallowed two pills. When he turned back to face her, she was propped up on one elbow, watching him with a smile on her face.

"What?" He asked.

"You didn't take any at the party."

"Didn't need 'em"

"That's why I'm smiling" She replied.

"Fixing complex" He teased

"Denial" She shot back, much to his amusement. He kissed her again much more slowly and deeply. Wilson had SO lost his last dime.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter twenty- Stirring

Ten minutes later she came back into her room carrying two mugs of coffee to find him quite at home in her bed. She was wearing his shirt, and she loved how natural it felt.

"You're a domestic goddess I see. Coffee in bed. Can I expect eggs and toast on a silver tray?"

"I doubt that" She laughed, handing him a mug, and settling down next to him, her on top of the coverlet.

"It snowed again." He commented

"I saw. I love the snow."

"And I'll just bet you make snow angels." He kissed her temple, she loved how tender he could be.

"No, but Chase and Foreman did last year." House laughed as she recalled the story of standing on the college campus, on 'look out' (as Chase had put it) in the park area at 1.30 in the morning as her two colleagues made no other than snow angels.

"I swear, if I didn't know better, I would put money on Chase having high estrogen levels."

"Ha! And how do you know better?" She took a sip of her drink.

"I trust you would have informed me of the fact."

"Oh, really?" She pecked him on the cheek. "I was going to give you your gift last night, but I got sidetracked. I trust we'll be seeing each other again before Christmas?"

"I WAS hoping… yeah" He confirmed the answer to her question.

A few moments of snuggling later and he moved away from her. He scooted to the other side of the bed, put on a really serious face and looked at her:

"Cameron?"

"Yeah?" She was sitting up, off the pillows, listening intently now.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything. Shoot" She was confused, slightly concerned, and concentrating on what he was about to say. It showed on her face.

"Was I better than Chase?"

She burst out laughing because he had totally conned her into thinking he wanted to talk seriously, grabbing up a pillow she smacked him over the chest with it:

"I hate you!" She laughed hysterically, and flung herself over him, kissing him on the lips. She pushed away from him a little, and looked into his eyes.

"But was I?" He pushed.

"Ugh!" She sighed and made an exasperated sound, flopping down on the bed next to him. A few moments passed in silence, and just when he had given up on getting an answer she said:

"Much"

He laughed then, and rolled over onto her. They wouldn't be getting up for quite some time.

---

He left at around noon. After her initial little crazy dance of happiness, she rattled around her apartment which suddenly felt empty even though he'd been there with her less than twenty four hours. She had made him promise, after kissing her goodbye, that he would call her. She wondered how long it would be before he did. He had been gone ten minutes and she wanted to hear his voice again. She needed a distraction, so she picked up the phone, and speed dialled the hospital.

It rang three times before it was answered by a professional voice:

"This is Dr Cuddy."

"Lisa, it's me"

"Hey Allison. My God I shouldn't have drunk last night, my head is pounding"

Cameron didn't intend on telling her friend all about last night, or indeed anything about it. She simply needed to talk to someone rather than be alone.

---

He sat in his corvette, driving through town to his townhouse. He was missing her voice already. It had been so long since he had actually been with someone so loving and affectionate. In fact, come to think of it, he wasn't sure if he ever had. He considered how long he should leave it before he called her. Mentally, he could perhaps distract himself from the thought of her, but he was pretty sure his body would have very different ideas. He wasn't worn out, which was perhaps not a good sign.

---

"So, you and House were getting pretty close last night, anything happen?" Said Cuddy, as she made alterations to the neurology department's staffing rota with a pen.

"Uh, anything like what?"

"Anything like ANYTHING"

There was a silence before Cameron said:

"And what about Wilson? You and WILSON."

"There is no me and Wilson" Cuddy said in a lowered tone, but there was a smile behind her words, as she swatted her secretary away with a clip board full of 'to do's'.

"Liar"

"Prevaricator" Cuddy laughed, "Tell me."

"He was very polite. A true gentleman."

"Now who's lying"

"Not me, he was great. Amazing, even." Cameron smirked at the hidden meaning behind her words.

"Wow. Well, you certainly tamed him, so what-"

Cameron interrupted before the Spanish inquisition began:

"Tell me about you and Wilson"

"There's nothing to tell" The older woman had Cameron on speaker phone now and was organising a filing cabinet.

"Oh, come on"

"Shoot, I've got to go, hospital emergency, talk to you later" And she hung up on her friend.

"Yeah, right!" Cameron laughed into the dead phone rolling her eyes as she hung up too.

---

The day continued on in a steady pace, and more snow fell, sheeting over Princeton, giving a sparkling festive look to the dead earth. Under trees in the hospital gardens deep under the soil, stirred new life, snowdrop bulbs nestled in the darkness already rousing slightly, each with the potential and the means to grow into something new and beautiful.


	21. Chapter 21

**A long awaited new chapter. Sorry it's been a while and the next posts may be too. I apologise for that, but I'm really not well right now. I'm just trying to rest but when I'm up to it I write, but thanks for being patient. That means a lot.**

Chapter twenty one- Not the type

At six thirty Cameron was watching TV. Well, she was trying to watch TV but couldn't really concentrate on any of the shows. She was snuggling under a white blanket which she used as a throw on her sofa, mug of hot tea in hand. That day she had not left the apartment. She convinced herself this was because the weather looked pretty daunting, but really it was to ensure she wouldn't miss any phone calls. She was wearing her other gray sweater, the one she didn't wear to work because it had a cowl neck and had a long body, which she had (as always) belted around. She was also wearing her tight black straight leg cord trousers. This usual attire would be worn by Cameron when going out, but today she was wearing it 'just in case'.

The phone jolted her out of a 'The Osbournes' rerun. She answered the phone abnormally fast, as it had been lying next to her the whole day.

"Hello?" She said chirpily.

"Dr Cameron. I got an emergency." It was House on the line, and she got butterflies hearing his voice.

"Oh, right. Do you want me to come in?"

"Cameron. I didn't mean hospital emergency."

"Oh, ok"

"I meant, I'm bored"

"Right, so you called me because you were bored? Way to make a girl feel special." She joked.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm- in the kitchen" she said as she was wandering in.

"Doing?"

"Talking on the phone, you?"

"The same. Well, isn't that just a spooky coincidence" He sarcastically answered

"Spooky" She happily bantered, and considered that it was pretty bizarre, she was talking to House, on the phone, because technically they were dating, or were they?

"House?" She asked, after a moment's silence

"Yeah?" He asked back, slight suspicion creeping into his voice.

"Are we dating?"

There was silence. Cameron started to panic, had she said the wrong thing?

"I'm guessing so, yeah"

"Ok, good"

"You eating?"

"No, why, does it sound like I am?"

"Nope"

It was then, as she chuckled to herself about House's oddness that a knock on the door sounded.

"Gimme a sec, House, someone's at the door" she said, walking over to said door and holding the receiver to her shoulder.

"Wonder who that could be?" he said quietly to himself.

The door swung open revealing no other than House in person.

"House!" She sounded half shocked, half excited.

"This is clichéd right?" He stepped towards her, very close

"If it is, I like clichéd" she smiled as they kissed. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she hung up on him, and he hung up on her. How very movie like that moment was.

As he stepped over the threshold she noticed why he had asked if she was eating. He was carrying a bag of Chinese food.

"You brought food?"

"Looks like it" He pretended to be surprised himself.

Opening each little box to see what was inside; Cameron didn't mention his unannounced appearance. She knew he was making an effort, and she was absolutely thrilled to see him as a surprise, but she knew that should she mention these things he would either feel uncomfortable or patronised. He was watching her, bouncing his cane on the floor. So she decided to make a joke:

"Couldn't stay away from me, eh House?"

"Well, one taste of paradise, and I can't stay away" There was sarcasm in his tone but a glint in his eyes told her that he really couldn't stay away, but couldn't express it without feeling embarrassed.

"Paradise? I know I'm good, but…" She joked

"You hungry Cameron?"

"Kind of, are you?"

"No."

"Ok, well, we don't have to eat right away. I could reheat, or whatever. How long do you want to wait?"

"I'd say twenty minutes will do the trick"

He was standing behind her and had wrapped his arms around her waist. NOW she knew what he wanted, and why he would risk looking like a romantic for it. She giggled as he attacked her neck. He was clearly asking for some more of last night's performance. So she, quite happily, complied.

Twenty two minutes later, and the slightly more dishevelled pair made their way back to the food. (They were both hungry for FOOD now that some of House's 'tension' had been relieved.)

"Wilson, has Wilson guessed?" She asked

"He has no idea. He's a moron."

They were sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, legs underneath it, backs resting on the sofa (Cameron didn't trust House with a white sofa and Chinese food). Another episode of 'The Osbournes' was in full flow, but the pair were at present discussing who would guess what was going on between them first.

"I give it less than a week until he susses you out" She said, digging into sweet and sour chicken.

"Unless you fawn all over me, he has no reason to suspect a thing."

"Right, the fact you have practically disappeared from the Wilson radar this Christmas wont mean a thing" She said sarcastically

"We don't do much during the holidays. Sometimes get take out. This year, his brother is doing the 'family' thing"

"Oh."

"So he just thinks I'm spending time with Steve."

"Steve?"

"My rat"

"Figures that would be your choice of pet" she joked

"But, I'm not going to hide it"

"Hide what?"

He cringed:

"Us"

"Ok" She was pleased and carried on eating. She looked across, and noticed he looked nervous now. She placed a hand on his arm and said quietly:

"You know, I'm not going to boast about it. I'm not going to tell anyone anything. And I don't expect you to treat me any different at work. Believe it or not, I would rather keep work at a distance from home. So, I will be behaving as normal, ok?"

"Not what I was worried about"

"Oh?"

"I won't be behaving as normal."

"House, you can still be bitter, abrasive and irritating, can't you?"

"Yeah-"

"-then you'll be behaving as normal"

He was pretty insecure sometimes. But this made him smile and kiss her briefly on the lips. By the time they had finished their food, it was decided that they weren't going to deny their relationship. They would be honest if asked, but they had no intention of changing the way they behaved at work.

The conversation moved on as Cameron stood in the kitchen clearing up. She asked House which days he was working now that it was technically the holidays. It turned out Cuddy had paired them up and they were working the exact same shifts, but House had one more than her and had to spend an hour in the afternoon in the clinic on Christmas day. He whined about it for some considerable time, and she just smiled at him.

"Wine?" she asked, holding up a bottle in front of him, only to get raised eyebrows in return, and House saying:

"Beer?"

"Sure." She frowned a little as she looked at the bottle's label "It's whatever Chase drinks"

"There is something very wrong with you having Chase's favourite beer in your kitchen. There is something very, very wrong with me drinking it."

She laughed: "He's my friend! Want me to chill you some Vicodin, make you feel at home?"

"Ha ha" He looked at her with an expression which said 'you're not funny.'

"What's your favourite beer?"

"Any that's real. You know, contains alcohol. Doesn't taste like swill"

"That contains alcohol! It's not THAT bad, House, look it's pretty dilute but it's ok"

"For frat boys maybe." He paused "Wait, you weren't in a sorority were you?"

"No, sorry to disappoint"

"It just may have explained why you like Chase so much."

"Stop!" She was making herself a gin and tonic "I don't like him 'so' much, he's just my friend"

"Who you slept with"

"ONCE"

"Debatable"

She was still laughing, but really with the grilling he was giving her she could quite easily have been crying.

"And" she ignored the 'once' comment "I was high"

"So why not call Foreman? Or Wilson?"

"Because" She stammered "We were already going out!"

"You DATED Chase?" Suddenly, the calm inquisitive façade broke, and he looked hurt, or angry, she couldn't tell

"No!" She smiled at him and walked over. He looked like he needed some reassurance all of a sudden. "We were going out for drinks. As colleagues. I took the meth, I called him, and by the time he got here I was gone… I didn't feel drunk, it was just like, nothing had any repercussions, I couldn't see past the moment and I just wanted someone, anyone. The fact it was Chase meant nothing. Nor would it have meant anything if it were you. I was not myself." She realised that she had put a hand on his shoulder and was looking deeply into his eyes.

He didn't speak.

"OK?" She asked

"Yeah"

She knew it would annoy him, but she could deal with it, so she gave him a hug as if to reassure him more, or to comfort him. He just gave her a 'look', and wincing, took a sip of the beer.

---

Friday came and went, with just a phone call from House. Saturday arrived, Christmas Eve, and with it came a near blizzard of a storm. Wind lashed around the hospital as Cameron busied herself with charts and patients. House was in her mind all morning. She wondered where he was. She knew he would be avoiding clinic like the plague.

It was at 11 o'clock that Cuddy descended on Cameron

"Have you seen him?" She was flustered

"I take it you mean House? No, sorry. I could go find him for you?"

"Would you? Thanks, got to dash, see you later. Page me when you got him" and Cuddy was gone after a confirmatory nod from the young immunologist.

Cameron's heels clicked along the quiet corridor. It surprised her just how quiet Christmas at the hospital seemed to be. Perhaps the near constant darkness outside had the same effect on patients and staff as the fall of night. It felt like night somehow.

"Dr House?" She poked her head into his office to see him in his plush chair, i-pod in ears. He hadn't heard her. She walked around so she was facing him, and bent down so she was at eyelevel. If his eyes hadn't have been closed, he would have noticed her at this point.

"Hou-se" she said in a sing song voice, giggling at how he still didn't notice her presence. In one swift movement she tugged out his headphones:

"HOUSE!"

He didn't jump up and look shocked, he just slowly opened his eyes to see her looking back, a smile on her face.

"Cameron. The walls in this place are made of glass. You wanna do that here, you close the blinds."

She stood up straight and placed her hands on her hips:

"I came here to tell you Cuddy wants you downstairs" she said seriously

"Tell her you couldn't find me"

"But I could"

"Lie"

"House, you should know that lying to Lisa Cuddy is a hanging offence. Are you going to make it worth my while?"

"Close the blinds, then"

"I didn't mean that!" She laughed "I meant could we spend some time together… not all day, maybe we could go out for drinks tomorrow night?"

He stood up, towering above her even in her heels

"Sure. I'm guessing little Allison is spending the day with the folks"

That was when her smile faded a little and she looked away

"What makes you say that?" She sounded almost irritated

"You just seem the type-"

"Well I'm not" she interrupted him.

He nodded and said clearly:

"Me either"

She looked up at him and nodded, before he continued:

"Wanna come round tonight. Stay maybe?"

"I'd love to"

They went quiet for a second before she managed to drag him to the clinic.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter twenty-two- Understanding.

"I see you have a Christmas tree. Not totally Ebenezer Scrooge, huh?"

"Don't get your hopes up, I'm not going to start enjoying myself this Christmas. Even though you're here"

He flopped down onto the couch and put his feet up. He watched his new- girlfriend? As she looked uncomfortable wringing her hands, overnight bag at her feet.

"Cameron" He said, looking at her. She clearly had no idea what to do with herself. She looked incredibly out of place and small all of a sudden. When he said her name she looked up and smiled at him, but it was clearly strained.

He continued:

"Sit down"

She immediately did as she was told. She perched on the edge of the couch, sitting bolt upright looking forward. She wanted to relax, she really did, but somehow she couldn't. She felt out of her depth now she was in his townhouse.

He tilted his head at her puppy-like obedience, so he tested his luck:

"Take your top off"

It didn't work; she gave him a little smile and a weak attempt at a laugh.

"Cameron. Relax."

"I am" She defended quietly.

"Yeah, right"

"Really, I'm good" She tried to even convince herself, to no avail.

"Wanna meet Steve?"

"Your rat?"

"My rat." He said, inwardly pleased that she had remembered his little pal's name

"Sure"

He stood up, and held out his hand to her. He could see she was feeling out of place, and he didn't want her to, so he offered her this silent comfort, which she gratefully accepted as he led her to the kitchen.

"Steve, this is Cameron. Cameron, this is Steve." He was uncomfortable now; he was being pathetic trying to make her a little less tense.

She let go of House's hand and bent down a little so she was at eyelevel to the rat, smiling.

"Hey Steve" She said gently "you're cute, aren't you? Is this your little wheel?"

"He doesn't use it"

Cameron frowned a little

"Really? It's good for them. He's tame right?"

"How would I know?"

"From when you pet him"

"_Pet_ him?"

Cameron ignored the sarcasm and disbelief in his voice and opened the cage door. She gently placed her hand next to the little rat, who sniffed at it before tentatively putting his tiny front paws onto her palm.

"He's tame" She smiled at House, before talking to the rat in front of her "Now come on sweetie; let's see what Cameron can find for you."

She scooped the rat up until she was cradling him in her hand against her stomach, wandering over to the fruit bowl and offering the creature a grape, which he happily accepted. House was watching with an amused, however slightly patronising expression on his face.

"Sweetie?" He said disparagingly "How come he gets called sweetie?"

"Because he is one" she smiled at House, before addressing Steve "now let's see if you really don't like your wheel"

"He doesn't. Put him away"

"House, don't you play with him?" She asked in a concerned manner

"I talk to him, isn't that enough?" He asked despairingly

"No. But it is cute" She shook her head at Houses horrified expression before talking to the rat as he began to discover his wheel for the first time "Daddy just doesn't understand, does he? No he doesn't!"

"Daddy?"

"Yes. Look, look at him, House!" She was excited now "He loves his wheel! You see, you just have to help them to find these things. Then they love it. He was probably scared before. I'm so pleased you have a pet"

"Right" He was looking at her in complete surprise now. She was like an excited child, but he liked how she was with his rat. It was sweet to watch. So he stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, placing a kiss on her cheek, then her temple, then the top of her head.

They looked at Steve whizzing happily round in his wheel like proud parents.

"He does like his wheel, huh?" House smiled. He didn't feel the need to have his usual gruff exterior when he was with Cameron.

"Yes. I like him, when did you buy him?"

"I didn't"

"What?"

"I found him" House noticed Cameron pale slightly "And took him to the vet. He's not diseased."

She let out a sigh of relief

"You don't mind if he has treats do you?"

"No, why?"

"Its Christmas tomorrow, and I went to the pet store, they have the cutest little things for gifts"

"Oh my God"

---

By nine o'clock, House and Cameron had settled back down on the sofa eating a pizza House had ordered. They were talking casually, as if this came naturally to them because this was a normal evening. Neither had brought up the fact that it was Christmas Eve since Cameron announced she bought animals gifts, and House decided to get it over with.

"So, you're staying here tomorrow?"

"Yeah" She answered, placing an olive she had removed from her pizza slice into the cardboard box. "If that's ok"

"It is. You doing anything?" He was curious

"Uh, no, the guys are busy, and Lisa… didn't say. She's probably got family stuff" She replied

"Expecting any phone calls?" He desperately wanted to know why she didn't spend the holidays with family.

"Should I be?"

"Nope. I am."

"Oh, from your parents?" She took her chance at becoming the interviewer.

"Yeah" he went silent before asking; quizzical look on his face "You're not expecting a call from yours?"

"Not really"

"Oh?"

"Stop it House." She sighed as she put the now empty box onto the coffee table, before continuing "I know you're desperate to solve the puzzle. There is none to solve. I love my parents, they sent me gifts, I sent them gifts. We're just not a 'family' unit. And no, it doesn't bother me."

"Maybe not, but it surprises me." He was looking at her now,

"Why, you reckon I grew up with a white picket fence and a chocolate Labrador?"

"I reckoned you grew up… something like that"

"Like you did?" He couldn't help but be slightly surprised by that comment of hers.

"What?" He was intrigued

"Like you did" She said it quite confidently this time, looking him in the eye "let me guess, dad in the army, mom a housewife, happily married since high school. Big house, private school, plenty of money. Smart kid from smart parents, you did better than they could ever have wished for?"

She noticed his surprised expression as he said:

"Nearly right"

"I thought as much. Remember, though, not everyone did."

"OK? So I'm guessing you didn't have those things"

"What makes you say that?" Her expression was blank

"The bitterness with which you delivered that little speech gives it away."

"Ha. Right" She picked up the pizza box and went into the kitchen presenting Steve with a pizza crust. She heard him enter the room behind where she was facing the cage and said clearly:

"I'm not bitter. I just hope that one day; a child of mine can be in your place rather than mine"

"A cripple? Come on, wouldn't want that for any kid" he tried to lighten the mood

"You know what I mean"

"Yeah"

She went silent, and so did he. She turned around from the cage and leant against the counter facing him. It was then that he spoke:

"Do you want to tell me how you grew up? You had a great insight into 'Gregory House- the early years'"

"I probably didn't, you know. It can't have been quite so two dimensional."

"Wanna bet? All you got wrong was that my dad wanted me to be in the army, not a doctor. And preferably to avoid infarctions in favour of military injury. But you can't have everything, right?"

"Right." She sighed. "My childhood was great. I went to a private school."

"I know, I read on your resume"

"Right. I'm just never going to be the person my parents hoped for"

"Jesus?" He guessed sarcastically

"No. Someone with a 4.0 and scholarships into Ivy schools."

"You're an immunologist"

"Not a brain surgeon though, huh?" She laughed a little as the played with the hem of her shirt nervously.

"But, you're smart, funny, pretty, everything they could want."

She nodded sadly:

"They always want more that I can give them is all. They're great parents, they're just perfectionists. They're proud of me, but I could always be a little better. A little less naïve. They always want more, more than I can give them. It doesn't matter what I do, or say or achieve, they just want more" Her voice was quiet now, and she wasn't looking at him

He made his way over to her and nudged her gently, inviting her into his arms. When she was there, he said softly:

"I don't want more"

She held onto a fistful of his shirt tightly, head against his chest, before whispering:

"I know"

---

They stood there for quite some time, comfortable in one another's arms; it was nice that they both knew that little bit more. House knew about Cameron's childhood, and Cameron knew House didn't want her to be something else, someone better. It was a relief. Only the shrill ring of Houses home phone disturbed their embrace. He would have ignored it but she asked him 'aren't you going to get that?' and he did, because she obviously didn't mind.

It appeared that it was Wilson on the phone. House was rolling his eyes occasionally and winking at Cameron after making snide comments down the phone. He pulled that expression he always pulled when he got an idea, and Cameron didn't have enough time to wonder suspiciously what little plot was being conjured up behind the cerulean blue eyes. He pulled her by the waist towards him, but before she could question him he started kissing her. She tried to resist at first, but pretty soon she started enjoying herself, and had her hand on his neck.

Every so often he would stop kissing her to say 'yeah' or 'no' into the phone. It turned into a kind of game, and they were laughing between kisses. Wilson became pretty confused with the behaviour of his friend, whose conversation had become pretty monosyllabic, and spattered with what, had he not known House better, he would have usually thought to be quiet laughter.

The main gist of the call was to ask House to have a drink with Wilson, who also informed him that Cuddy would be joining them and was going to try to get a hold of Cameron. Sure enough, just then the theme tune to 'Sex and the City' rang out from Cameron's bag, gaining a scrutinising eyebrow raise from House and a defence from Cameron:

"I like the tune!!" She clicked to answer the device "Hello? Lisa! Oh…. Sounds great, who with? Wilson, that figures…. I'm not implying anything, much. Anyone else? House agreed to that? Oh, well, sounds great…. Ok, talk to you soon, then…. Bye."

Hanging up, Cameron looked over at House, saying:

"So, we're going for drinks tomorrow? With Wilson and Cuddy?"

"Oh, it'll be like a couples evening!" House said with mock excitement, which earned him a withering look (tainted with a smile) from Cameron.


	23. Chapter 23

**Sorry for the wait guys, I was sick, then I hd a ton of work to do (seriously, sixth form sucks) and now I'm in the process of moving house so I don't have internet access... I'm posting this at school:)**

Chapter twenty three- His girl.

Sun streamed through the window, into the warm room which the freezing weather outside hadn't encroached upon. It was eight o'clock on Christmas morning. Across Princeton, excited children were already awake, tearing into presents with enthusiasm whilst bleary eyed parents looked on. No such goings on were in full flow at House's place. He and Cameron were snuggled under the coverlet together, breathing deeply.

Hers were the first eyes to flicker open. She sighed contentedly at the warm arms around her, and couldn't quite believe how happy she was. She considered that she had never felt this happy ever. Delayed gratification. She grinned harder realising she was analysing herself already. That was his influence on her, no doubt. She carefully turned around in his arms so that she was looking up at his face. He did look peaceful in his sleep, and she was highly amused at his heavy breathing which she could imagine would easily turn into a snore should he get a cold. He's even sexy in his sleep! She thought smugly to herself. Smug. Yet another unattractive, or attractive depending on how you look at it, quality from him.

The early hours of the morning passed quickly. It wasn't that they didn't speak. Of course they did. They exchanged 'Merry Christmas' and kissed. For a while, they didn't need to talk. Just them being together was enough. Neither could quite believe it. Neither thought this would ever happen. They were half lying, half sitting in bed his arms wrapped around her when he said:

"My Christmas present?"

"I brought it, don't worry"

"I have you well trained" He drawled out lazily and pecked her on the top of the head

"Mm-hmm" She couldn't be bothered to think of some witty response. She was enjoying his warmth against her as the snow fell outside and the perfectly relaxed state she found herself in all of a sudden.

It was eleven o'clock before they made their way out of his room. She had slung on a jumper and jeans and he had his usual shirt, band tee and jeans on. They slowly made their way through their pile of gifts (Cameron had brought hers from home). She had seated herself on the rug next to the sofa and he was on the aforementioned sofa. It was no surprise that she had a considerably larger pile of gifts than he did, and on noticing this he said in a deliberately childish voice said:

"No fair"

"You can have some of them if you want…" she continued "but I'm guessing they're all bath products and gift vouchers"

"Vouchers for where?"

She sighed, reading the label of one of the gift bags.

"Uh, book stores" she didn't look up as she continued, but if she had have done she would have seen the 'bo-ring' expression on his face "Maybe clothes stores, you know… Bebe, Wet Seal, places like that…" She tore open the bag carefully and got out the gift "Underwear stores"

He perked up then:

"And who buys you those?" He asked smirking

"Those what?" she then realised what he was talking about and smiled up at him "Oh, various aunts, my sister. People like that.

"No dirty uncles then." He stated "It would've explained the damage but, there's always your birthday"

She threw a piece of balled up wrapping paper at his head, and hit the bulls eye.

Their gifts to one another had been left unopened until they were the only ones left. It took the pair a moment or two to decide on who would open their gift up first, but it was decided it would be Cameron.

She pulled at the wrapping paper slowly, being careful not to rip it any more than necessary. She would have predicted a snide comment about this but to her pleasant surprise he just watched her with a slightly amused expression on his face.

She pulled out the gift and smiled up at him. It was the Desperate Housewives box set, including the episodes they had watched in his office. Suddenly he looked a little nervous, like he needed confirmation that he had got her the right thing, he asked:

"I saw in your apartment… you don't have it already." He looked down at her, and added "You're smiling, so I'm guessing I wasn't completely off the mark?"

She stood up and walked towards him, settling herself on his lap and kissing him.

"Not completely" _kiss_ "It's perfect" _kiss._

She had once again seen the insecurity in his eyes and she had immediately wanted to eradicate it. When the look had passed from his features, he said:

"You're not going open the card?" That was House-speak for 'I'm Ok now'

She went over to the aforementioned card and opened it. She let her eyes skim the page and her smile widened, before she looked over at him and said:

"I presume you wrote this AFTER the night of the party"

He pretended to be confused "What party?" then he pretended to register embarrassment on his features "Oh THAT party! Ooops!"

"Well, the 'love, Stud' kinda gave you away" She grinned, picking up her gift to him up from the floor and walking over to him, passing it over.

He ripped the paper mercilessly in comparison to her and deposited it on the floor, looking with raised eyebrows at her gift choice, saying the title of the book out loud:

"Guide to Etiquette. Doctor's edition, bedside manner. How thoughtful!" He chuckled under his breath, and just as he was about to put his novelty gift to one side, she spoke:

"Open it"

He furrowed his brow slightly, but did as commanded. An envelope landed on his lap, with the unmistakable loopy G's of 'Greg' written on the front. He opened this, and looked astounded, he looked back up at Cameron who was watching him with her arms folded, he managed to speak:

"For real?"

"Uh, yes. They really are all-access passes to the monster trucks extravaganza next year."

"They were all sold out" He flipped the passes over in his hands, looking at them with awe.

"Well no- not exactly. I told Wilson to tell you that. His suggestion. Well, my idea for monster truck shows, he told me this one was monster truck heaven."

"It sure is"

He invited her back to his lap… she really was his girl.


	24. Chapter 24

It has been WAY too long since I updated. But, lots of stuff's been going on and I'm really thankful to those of you who have hung on for this next chapter!

Chapter twenty four- Devoid of complexity.

He hadn't thought she'd remember he had clinic hours. Well, he hadn't _hoped _she would remember. They had eaten a delicious Christmas lunch which they had prepared together and he was watching TV when she called through to him:

"Time to set off, House, or you'll not be there in time for clinic"

_Sh1t. How does she remember stuff like that?_

"Oh, do I have to? It's Christmas!" He whined.

"Yes, off you go" She smiled and handed him his motorbike jacket, continuing, "I would ask you to take the car as it's been snowing but you never listen to me, so."

He couldn't help but grin as he stepped into the freezing air outside, she knew him so well it was unnerving.

The clinic was as dull as previously predicted; he spent most of it yawning with his feet up on the examination room bench, lollypop in mouth reading the latest magazine to hit New Jersey.

---

As he dismounted his motorcycle he realised that he was actually returning to a woman waiting for him, and he hadn't done that in a very long time. He was actually happy about it.

As he shook the snow off the shoulder pads of his jacket and hung it up he sarcastically called out:

"Honey, I'm home"

He heard the unmistakable laugh as she came round the corner in her robe. After looking her up and down he smiled a little:

"I seriously hope there's nothing under that"

"You won't be disappointed" She raised her eyebrows seductively as she came to peck him on the lips. She added as he kept his arms around her waist: "Do you know what's waiting for you?"

"No, but I could make a hopeful presumption"

"A hot, steamy tub" She smiled

"Sounds good, as long as you're joining me"

"Naturally"

---

They emerged an hour later to get ready for their evening out with Wilson and Cuddy. House took all of twenty seconds to choose his outfit. Band t-shirt, trademark un-ironed shirt, jeans and sneakers. Cameron on the other hand took at least fifteen minutes to even pick her outfit which was (to House's appreciation) a denim miniskirt, gray jumper, black tights and gray stiletto suede ankle boots.

As they sat in the corvette, which Cameron had insisted on taking, House gave her an approving look.

"You know, you should really consider dressing more like this to work. Maybe loose the tights. Nothing beats flesh."

"Oh, yeah, I'd really degrade myself enough in the workplace to please my male colleagues"

"Cuddy does it."

"House!" She scolded, playfully hitting his arm.

"Well, she is Dean of Medicine… who knows where you'd be if you showed a little cleavage"

She shook her head smiling a little. He was unbelievable. But that was what she loved about him. She had found herself holding back the 'love' word several times today. This was one of the occasions.

---

Cuddy and Wilson were laughing and joking when House and Cameron approached. All but House greeted one another with holiday greetings and excited comments about the bar's new décor.

He rolled his eyes, turning them to Cameron. She had a beautiful manner about her. He loved her. That scared him, but it was true. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind, and set off with Wilson to buy the women's drinks.

As soon as the guys were gone, the women's talk went straight to them.

"You and Wilson seem to be very close"

"Ha, take a look at you and House!" Cuddy laughed

"Your just as _bad_ as House" the immunologist exclaimed, "avoiding talking about your personal life by deflecting the question back to me"

"I wasn't _deflecting_ anything! And _you're _as bad as James, psychoanalysing every situation!"

"Hey, maybe we're dating the wrong people." Cameron smiled, waiting for Cuddy's objection to the word 'dating', but no such objection came.

---

Wilson and House were waiting for the drinks to come when Wilson spoke.

"Well, that sullen expression you're trying to pull sure is a great smokescreen… for people who don't know you. Me on the other hand, know that you're- dare I say it- happy."

"Oh here we go. Did you ever consider writing chick flicks for a living? You sure seem great at making the mundane into the saccharine sweetness of Jimmy-land"

"OK, so you don't wanna talk about it. Just so you know, you've never looked that way at anyone since" House waited for the word 'Stacey' but it didn't come "well, since ever"

"Great" House snatched the ten dollar bill from Wilson's hand and passed it to the bartender, turning away with just his drink. Wilson sighed and picked up the other three glasses, and followed his best friend.

---

The four shared what can only be described as a harmonious evening together. Their personalities seemed to form a kind of balance when they were together and they snarked back and forth in a somewhat playful almost affectionate manner. To anyone watching they were two ordinary couples, devoid of the complexity of these four people's pasts.


	25. Chapter 25

**Ok, so the final chapter! I might cry but I feel that it's coming to an end for Inevitable. But you never know, there may always be a sequel in future! Sorry for the delay, what with my recent exam to focus on I haven't really been able to do much, not even write. I hope you like this chapter, and thank you for reading this far! I would just like to thank everyone who reviewed my fic, it inspired me to carry on with it! Also, a special shout out to ****addtcdtohows** **for amazingly amazing support and prompting to continue! Thanks to Angi as well, who never fails to inspire!**

**Oh, and just a final comment, I DON'T OWN THE CHARACTERS… can't believe I missed that out all this time! Enjoy!**

Chapter twenty five- Closing words.

_11,_

_12,_

_13_ seconds since he entered the room, and still had not looked at her. She knew he wouldn't. She found herself feeling smug again, as SHE had been right. A novelty feeling. Taking the first sip of his coffee (which she had made, and left on the counter next to where she was leaning) he sighed in satisfaction. She bit back a smile; she had heard that sigh in a very different context.

"Ducklings" he greeted "what'ya got for me"

"Thirty-nine year old female, complaining of headaches-" Foreman started but was interrupted by House who had quirked his eyebrow, saying.

"Headaches? Oh boy, what could POSSIBLY be the answer? I just _wish _I'd covered this in medical school."

Foreman rolled his eyes and hooked House on the bait of the other unusual symptoms. Each duckling was sent to do their tests, and each left the room. Cameron had considered staying behind to talk to House, but he wasn't looking at her and if he was uncomfortable she didn't feel the need to make him more so.

She was running a test in the pathology lab later that day when she sensed someone watching her. This sensation was soon clarified by the swish of the door as it opened and the observer entered. She didn't hesitate in turning around, and was not surprised to see House standing by the doorway. He looked almost guilty for being seen, and looked at her for a quiet moment before stating:

"Gosh darn it! Can't creep up on anyone when you got one of these!" He held his cane up a little for emphasis.

She smiled and moved a slide to a less precarious place on the workbench. She stood up and turned to face him. Removing her glasses and placing them on the bench behind her she asked,

"Need me to run another test? These have all been negative, and I'm sure the repeats will be too."

"We got the answer"

"Yeah?" She questioned "She going to be ok?"

"Yep, Cuddy really should give us more challenging cases than people FAKING crippling headaches"

"What about the stomach ulcers, the vomiting?" Cameron asked, confused.

"Stomach ulcer was real. Vomiting was self induced. She's n her way to the psych ward now"

"Ok" She nodded

"I'm gonna need you to do the discharge report for the department."

"Sure" She always did before, and had figured (correctly) that some things would never change.

There were a few moments of silence before she asked, dubiously:

"Anything else you wanted… or?"

"Nope, that was it" He said hurriedly, and left before he thought she would have a chance to sense he was nervous. But she had sensed, and sighed smiling to herself. Some things really would never change.

---

It was two days later that he said it. The ducklings had spent the afternoon in their warm bubble of a differential diagnosis room, sipping coffee and doing sudoku puzzles. It had been another slow day.

They were all alone when she entered his office, with her coat on and his leather jacket in one hand. He got up from behind his desk swiftly, he loved going home, even more now 'home' always had an association with Cameron. He pecked her on the cheek when she handed him his jacket, very affectionate for him whilst they weren't hidden away from the world.

He looked at her in silence for a few moments. She didn't know what she had done to deserve the scrutiny he was giving her, and shifted under his gaze smiling a little.

"Cameron" He half questioned, half stated.

"Yeah?"

"I- uh" he stumbled over the words a little, averting his eyes for a brief second "I love you".

She took a deep breath, before linking her fingers through his and smiling up at him, asking

"Your not trying to swab my mouth again are you?"

He was relieved for the deflation of tension in the situation, and answered:

"No"

She smiled again: "Then let's go home"

He would have been disappointed; she had not said it back.

In his mind she had done. She had cried and laughed and kissed him deeply. Imaginary Cameron had asked him to love her forever and if she could live with him. She had asked to have his children. But this was not his mind, this was reality.

She wasn't the imaginary Cameron, she was the real thing. She wouldn't act in the way imaginary Cameron did in the situations in his mind. Sometimes she was the complete opposite. Sometimes she was different, confusing even. The real Cameron couldn't be predicted. Sometimes, like tonight, she was the unexpected. She was just herself.

And she was so much better that way.


End file.
